Poseidon's Fury
by SilverPhoenixWings
Summary: Fifteen years before The Boy Who Lived, the Slytherin world is shrouded with politics and mystery. A new darkness is brewing. Can a new life change Elliana Stormborne, or will Lucius Malfoy use her as a tool for destruction?
1. Angel of the Sea

A/N: Please note again that this is an Alternate Universe fic. These are mostly my characters, my events, and my ideas utilizing JK Rowling's places and ideas as well. Her characters and events will weave in and out of the story as well. All of the characters, ideas and places that _aren't_ copyrighted to her are, obviously, copyrighted to me.

This was written as the second part of a trilogy. The third part has also been written, and I may post that later if the whim suits me. There are some references to the other parts, but the whole story is here, really. This was originally written as a NaNoWriMo ( novel. All lyric and quote credits are at the end of the Epilogue. And now, without further ado:

Part One: Angel of the Sea

_Moon to the tide,_

_I can feel you inside._

_I'm under your spell._

_Surging like the sea,_

_Drawn to you so helplessly._

Incense clogged the air, and a fire crackled in the corner. Dalriada Evenua shivered, clinging close to her husband Bryan. She was not happy about being here- but she knew that something had to be done about the nightmares that plagued her. The winter was her enemy- and that enemy was armed. Night was the dagger. Day was the blade. The world seemed to taunt her- let her know constantly that she was not wanted.

"Bryan, I fear that doom shall come to pass." Dalriada said quietly, whispering in her way. Her long, fiery curls danced around her face as a breeze rose through the walls of the tiny hut. Bryan hugged her closer, and for a moment the cold was gone.

"Don't speak of it. It shall all be gone soon." Bryan smiled at her in his confidence. He was lying to himself, but he had to be strong for her sake. Dalriada could see through this façade. It was nothing more. Bryan comforted her in her time of trial, but he could do little more. Dalriada knew what he did not. She knew what she would find here. Her mother had had the problem- died from it. The madness had seeped in and strangled the woman in the darkness. She had thrown herself off a seaside cliff. Dalriada shuddered at the thought.

"Ah, the Troubled One." A hoarse voice said from the corner. Dalriada watched as a hag of a woman stumbled towards her. The woman gave a toothy grin, as if joining the taunts of the world. Dalriada could not smile. She kept her fear from her face, but could not smile.

"Will you help me, Wise One?" Dalriada asked, breaking free from Bryan and stepping forward. She knelt before the woman and dropped her head. "Visions dance in my head, and I cannot be rid of them on my own."

"I see. And you have tried the tribal remedies?" The woman put a wrinkled hand on Dalriada's forehead and swept a thumb across the hairline. She coughed violently for a moment, causing Dalriada to falter backwards. Dalriada, with her dancer's grace, caught herself.

"Yes, Wise One. I have tried every leaf and root I can find in the books. Tell me what vexes my dreams." Dalriada spoke again, softly and mysteriously. She folded her hands against her side and cast her eyes down. She could feel the healer observing her, and she felt very much afraid.

"I do not know of this Madness you have told me of, but I know the tribes have twice had such a case. It is unnamed- but powerful. Twice it came, and twice it took the lives. You must doom no others to this fate." The healer spoke with force. Although her words were laced, her point was very clear: Do not have children, or you will all be cast away. In Dalriada's case, she knew, she'd be cast into the sea. Dalriada could think of nothing worse than seeing her child drowned.

"I shall not, Mother." Dalriada said, paying the woman respects and slipping out of the hut. She found Bryan soon by her side and caught his hand in hers. She turned to him and saw fear in his eyes. Dalriada touched her stomach gently, and met his eyes. They had not known.

"We cannot let it be born, Dalriada." Bryan said firmly. A rage filled her eyes and he was at once sorry he had even mentioned it. Dalriada backed a way from him, and he followed her along the moonlit road.

"It will be born, Bryan. I will not cast it aside."

"And yet, you cast it aside if you bear it."

"It will be born. _She_ will be born. We will keep her a secret." Dalriada looked at him pleadingly. She knew that he would do this for her. He had to do this for her. He had to… "Please, Bryan. It will be trading time again. I can raise her on the ship." Dalriada's tone had changed from doomed to desperate. She was fooling herself…she only wanted a child to comfort her in her madness. Something to drive away the dreams. Something to focus on.

"That is no life for a child. Dalriada, the seas are cold and harsh. You know not what you ask of me. It would die." Bryan broke her gaze and continued forward, stuffing his hands in his pockets. The water was stormy, but soon it would calm and the trading would begin. It was true, it would be easier to hide a child on water than on land. But he could not let his wife do that. It would be condemning her to live the life of a stowaway.

"_She_ would live. I can feel it inside of me, Bryan. She has a strong spirit. I know it." Dalriada quickened her pace to catch up with him, but she could tell the subject would stand on shaky ground. For now, it would be better left alone. Dalriada walked with him in silence until she could see the lights of their cottage on the hill. So many things she wanted to do…having a child had been one of them. Ever since she was little, Dalriada had known that her existence would halt prematurely. Somehow, she hadn't expected it to have such an impact.

As Dalriada prepared for bed that night, she said a silent prayer for her unborn daughter. She had known it would be a daughter. She had always known. Dalriada lit the lamp and pulled a quilt over her. Bryan was down at the docks, fixing the rigging on their ship. He would not be home until morning. Somehow, Dalriada found the silence comforting. The visions stayed away from her during her moments of peace, and she welcomed that. Dalriada smiled to herself and patted her stomach.

"My daughter…I am sorry to doom you to such a fate. I cannot bear it alone, however. I cannot. I fear my madness will come sooner without you by my side. I can feel your spirit. It warms me. My daughter. My angel of the sea."

Dalriada awoke the one morning to the sound of shouts outside her home. She hurried out of bed and pulled on a robe, running to the door. She stepped outside and looked towards the source of commotion. Dalriada watched as three men waved their arms about madly as her husband calmly sat on a barrel. Ah, trading season had begun. Dalriada walked across the grass, still frostbitten from the night, and stood at the side of her husband.

"You promised me a place at the anchor, Bryan!" One man said, waving a rolled up newspaper in the air. His overalls were torn and battered, and Dalriada knew that he had been begging for a place last season. He had been denied after found cheating in poker at the local tavern. Her Bryan would not settle for cheats. The man next to him pushed him aside.

"Bryan, you can't bring in the loads without me. I've been on your crew for the last twelve seasons." This one was trying to be persuasive rather than threatening. Bryan wasn't having it. He hummed as he carved a small flute out of a piece of birch. Dalriada knew that her husband was furious- he only carved when he was furious. She could see why- the man in front of him had filched several gold coins from the earnings last season. Her husband could stand liars less than cheats.

The third man just looked furious, and Dalriada figured he had been the source of yelling before her arrival. The men eventually got tired of evoking no response and stormed off. Bryan didn't stir for at least five minutes when he said he was itching for breakfast. Dalriada silently complied and started frying some eggs.

"I want you to get rid of it. Herbs and things of that sort." Bryan said after the plates had been cleared from the table. Dalriada shook her head firmly as she pushed a needle through a pair of torn trousers. She looked up at him, and felt the judgement in his eyes. She could work magic and spells- he had always known that. Dalriada still refused. She would not cast her child out before it's arrival- or after, for that matter- into the world.

"I'll call her Mariaella." Dalriada spoke, not looking up. She heard Bryan cough, and could picture him rolling his eyes. When she did look up, Bryan was looking at her with silent amusement.

"You're set on this, aren't you?" He asked, standing up and walking over to her rocking chair. Bryan stood behind her and rubbed her shoulders gently. He took her silence as a 'yes' and nodded, confirming it to himself. "Well, then you must do it properly. You shall call her Elliana."

Dalriada stood up and whirled around, throwing her arms around her husband. He laughed and lifted her up and over the chair easily, twirling her about. She felt at peace for once. The night before, she thought, would have been the calm before the storm. But, there was no storm. Just a nice, simple breeze.

"There's a hole here that has to be patched." Dalriada said aloud as she scribbled on a piece of paper. She was checking the portside for damage. Next, she'd be taking inventory in the galley. It all had to be done within the week, she knew. They could not leave until everything was set. Dalriada was beginning to show, slightly. She felt her stomach become more round, and her eating habits changed a bit.

"Paint chipping…that can't be avoided. That'll have to stay." Dalriada finished the check and climbed on board, swaying as the ship adapted to her weight. She opened the door to the cabins and climbed down a small flight of steps to where the galley lay. The shelves were virtually bare, but she recorded what items were there.

As Dalriada closed the last cupboard, Bryan stepped inside the galley. She smiled at him and handed him the list. He looked over it, and frowned in some places. Overall, he seemed pleased. He'd be patching tomorrow while she made a list of supplies that they'd need for the sail to England.

"Everything seems to be set to sail Friday. I'll be glad to be on the sea again." Bryan said, sitting down on a bench. He lit his pipe and puffed thoughtfully. "On the sea, I'm king. None of those bastards whining to me about a job. Good for nothings." Bryan laughed at the thought and leaned back.

"Yes, Friday." Dalriada said, smiling. "I'm going to check the hammocks for tears- I can mend those tonight- and then I'll do some dancing. I need to stretch." Dalriada had always danced. At first, it was only the tribal dancing. Then, she learned the art of ballet. After a while, it all blended together and Bryan could not tell the dances apart. Dalriada loved to dance, and she loved the pure art of it as well. She knew the finer points of every turn and the name of every position. That was another reason Dalriada wanted a child- to pass on her knowledge before the madness got to her.

"I'd love to watch, but I have work to do." Bryan said, clasping her hand in his. She smiled playfully and walked out of the galley. Carefully, Dalriada spent the next two hours checking hammocks.

Dalriada lifted her leg for the final spin and brought it down gracefully a moment later. Her tunic clung to her sweaty body as she sat on the floor, stretching out. She pushed a strand of hair out of her face and reach for her left toe, trying to relax her muscles. She reflected on her dance.

It had been the first time in a while that Dalriada had been able to dance uninterrupted. Her moves had been clumsy at first, but she soon recovered the rhythm she had always known. The music was in her head. It always was. Dalriada pulled aside a curtain and looked out the window. On the docks, she could see merchants preparing their ships or boys unloading cargo from ships come home.

Dalriada was nearly thrown back as the vision hit her. She stepped away from the window as her breathing sped up…her sight blurred and she felt herself collapse. At that point, her mind had left her body and was in some distant place.

Fire. Fire rose on the hillside and a house burned. It was an old house, and the timber fell easily. It had been made to burn, it seemed. The snow was ablaze with fire of it own- the reflection of the burning. It cast an eerie light upon the forest below; untouched. The house had been meant to burn. One could feel it in the air. Evil…cruel intentions. The purpose so strong that it only took a moment to bring the fire to life. It was a warning. The fire had only been a warning.

Dalriada's eyes snapped open and she contained her scream. The power of the visions was always intense. This was no different. She was hot and the room was stuffy. She climbed to her feet and opened the window in a hurry. The cool air made her face tingly, and Dalriada felt a wave of relief. The vision haunted her, but the physical effects were fleeting.

Fire? What had been burning? After a moment, Dalriada decided not to waste her time trying to decipher these visions. As she had learned as a little girl, visions could be about things _years _in the future. Dalriada sighed and closed the window, gathering her dancing stuff and leaving the room.

The room was a sort of upstairs to the cottage. It was the only place that Dalriada could dance without being disturbed. As of late, women from the village had come to have tea and such with her. She didn't feel the need to be social, but she felt the need to be polite and let them in all the same. Dalriada did not answer any doors today, and most of the women were helping at the docks or the market anyway.

Once downstairs, Dalriada took the time to start tidying up a bit. She wouldn't be seeing this house for a couple months once they set sail, and a neighbor would do the tending. Dalriada most definitely did not want to leave a messy house for someone else to take care of. She picked up her mending and put the sewing stuff away. She folded Bryan's trousers and put them in his trunk. Dalriada smoothed out the quilts on the bed and dusted off the nightstand. She soon found herself out of things to do, and none the happier.

There was the secret. She needed something to distract herself. Dalriada decided she could go into town, but that meant seeing people for no reason. It wasn't that Dalriada didn't like people- she had plenty of friends- it was just that she found most of them boring and frivolous. They all seemed stupid at times.

Dalriada read books and had been educated as a child. She didn't, by all means, look down on those who did not have that opportunity. She just tried to avoid being locked into a conversation with them for a long time. The women bored her especially. They always wanted to speak of parties and children and things of that sort. Things that Dalriada had to avoid for her own safety. After all, the madness got the worst when she was around other people.

Bryan came in that evening as Dalriada had begun to mend hammocks. There were seven total that had to be fixed, and she had started with the most battered one. It seemed that after that everything would be much easier. Dalriada set the hammock aside to start making dinner, and Bryan sat by the fire.

"I selected the crew today. We'll take on six this year instead of five. We'll be in England by the time…" Bryan trailed off and patted his stomach, not able to say the words. Saying the words would be condemning his wife. It had been an unspoken understanding between them as of late. "And we'll get you proper care there. No one will know there."

"No one knows here." Dalriada commented as she tore the bread. He was trying to be thoughtful, and she appreciated that. Sometimes it made her feel worse, though. She laughed a little and then stopped, realizing how fake it sounded.

"Yes, but word would get around." Bryan said, working through it logically. The women in the town were not known for their silence. He smiled at his wife, but it was lost as she was not looking. He sighed.

The last few days before the Evenuas set sail were stressful. The whole village was anxiously awaiting the departure of the ships, and a buzz was spreading through the shops. The winter was going to be harsh, the ladies said. The livelihood of the village depended solely on this trading season. Dalriada, of course, heard very little of this.

"Pull up the anchor!" Bryan shouted through a high wind the day of setting sail. The crew member did so and tilted his hat to his wife far below. Bryan had no time to wave to anyone, for he was busy running to and fro making sure things were in order. Dalriada leaned wistfully on the rail and watched as the women below cried. Sometimes, she envied them. Their naivety. They knew nothing of lurking fears and unavoidable doom. Dalriada had seen these things. Dalriada had lived these things.

In a few minutes, the ship was ready to sail and steered out of the harbor. The cries of the women drowned out as the sound of the waves sang below. Dalriada quickly regained her sea legs and smiled happily. She slipped away from the deck and descended to the cabin below. It was here that she would sleep now. Once, she would have shared the captain's quarters. But now, she would have a daughter to care for. In secret. But, that was still moons away, and Dalriada could not wait. She had _been_ waiting. All of her life. Now she'd have someone by her side. Someone that knew what was inside of her. Someone that shared in that burden. It was selfish, but Dalriada only saw the calming in it.

"Elliana…Elliana…" Dalriada sang softly. "Come to me, child. Come to me. My love for you is great. My spirit you will share. Come to me, come to me." Dalriada sat down on an old crate and looked around. This part of the ship was mostly cargo. She'd have to clear a space for dancing. Reflecting, Dalriada decided she should have done that before they had pulled out of port.

The sea had a calming effect on all of those on board. The men quickly pushed the warnings of their wives behind them and engaged in games of poker and dice every evening. There was a shift to watch the deck and always a man at the wheel, but if all was calm there was little to do. And these things proved to be calm during the Genesis. Dalriada was lucky- she didn't have to do all of the cooking. Her husband saw to that. There were shifts for that too. Granted, she had to do her fair share.

"Dalriada, I've made something for her." Bryan said one day when they were checking the maps. Dalriada knew to whom he referred, of course. "You'll need to make the final touches. It's down below. It should keep you busy for a while." He smiled at his wife and opened the door for her. She gave him a last glance and hurried below. Sitting in her cleared space was a fine trunk, hand-carved of cedar. On top of the chest was a small satchel of carving things. Dalriada set to work.

It took Dalriada the better part of the sail to England to finish the final carvings on the trunk. She had carved waves and dolphins across the top, along with other sea-things. Dalriada was proud of it. Across the top read the words, "Angel of the Sea." Elliana would be her angel, she knew. The daughter she had always wanted. Her comfort. The trunk was enchanted with protective spells and things of that sort- Dalriada considered these a necessary precaution.

Slowly, the trunk began to fill with things. Dalriada tucked two quilts away that she had already made in anticipation of a family. She had sewn these at a young age, but they shone with a newness. They had never been used. Dalriada smiled happily to herself. Also, she tucked her pair of ballet shoes from long ago in the trunk. She had outgrown them many years past, but she treasured them still.

"Elliana…Elliana…daughter of mine." Dalriada sang quietly while closing the trunk. She slipped into her dancing tunic and began to stretch out, humming. The moves came gently, now. She was not stiff. Dalriada slipped into forms and swiftly into a dance of her creation. A vision raced through her head, but it seemed that this was more gentle than most. The vision seemed to be a granting of peace of some sort. Dalriada saw herself holding her daughter in a dark corner. The night engulfed them both, but her dream-self did not seem afraid. Her dream-self seemed happy.

Dalriada checked her watch and noticed that her shift at the wheel was about to begin. She changed back into ship clothes and climbed the ladder up to the deck. Tying her hair back, Dalriada signaled the first mate to switch with her. She looked out over the water as she took the wheel and smiled to herself. It seemed she was keeping some sort of secret that everyone was itching to know. It was power, and she liked it.

London was horribly crowded. That's what Dalriada would never get used to. The port was busy and the people were loud. There was cursing everywhere, and things being loaded and unloaded at a rapid pace. Dalriada got off the ship and took leave to find them housing for the season. They had a room at an inn, but the inn was deep in the city. It was Dalriada's job to find that inn, and quickly.

"Excuse me, sir." Dalriada said, approaching a policeman. "Do you know where the Whaler's Inn is?" The guard pointed her down a street and she nodded to herself. Dalriada could barely make out the words, but the white writing on green was unmistakable. She hurried down the street, carefully avoiding a car going the wrong way down the street. That was not her concern.

"We have a room ordered, miss." Dalriada told the girl at the counter. "Evenua." The girl checked the files and quickly confirmed that, yes, the Whaler's Inn knew that the Evenua's would be staying until September.

"Yes, Jonathan will show you the way." The girl said, indicating a sullen-looking boy in the corner. He rolled his eyes and lead Dalriada down a hall, to a room at the very end. Dalriada found the room acceptable, and opened a window. She could see a small garden outside, but not much more.

The room was dusty, but the bed was comfortable. It was large, and covered with many blankets. The pillows were soft, and the lamps worked. It was nice to know that the room would be livable. Dalriada opened the closet and put her things away. Of course, there was more on the ship. Only things she needed would stay her. Bryan always insisted on renting a room, even though Dalriada thought living on the ship would be more practical.

Trading season passed with a flourish. Every morning, Dalriada would go to a small shop they had set up in market and tend to the wares. Every night, she'd come back to the inn a bit more exhausted. By the end of August, she was unable to walk to the shop and Bryan admitted her to a hospital.

The baby came quickly and easily. Dalriada kept her daughter in her arms whenever possible. Elliana had striking sea green eyes and a beautiful beginning to a head of hair. Dalriada had never seen anything more beautiful. Still, she could show her baby to no one besides her husband. Soon enough, they were back on the ship and Dalriada was forced to raise her daughter in secrecy.

The coasts of Norway were sighted sometime in late September, and Dalriada wasn't sure she was ready to face the village. Bryan was to give the story to the villagers that she was sleeping- and that she'd get off the ship later. That night, Dalriada slipped unsurely off the ship and to her cottage. She set up Elliana's crib in the corner and kept the curtains drawn. There would be no visits from the women of the village for quite some time.

Dalriada found herself desperately wanted to hold up Elliana and shout from the rooftops that she had a daughter. But no…no one could no. There was no child, in everyone's mind. Dalriada had been blessed of late to be free of visions…maybe this child was all that she had hoped. Maybe this child would save her from madness.

The visions were gone, and Dalriada found herself plagued with a new madness in the months that followed. Elliana was three, now, and Dalriada had kept her a complete secret. They were sailing home from England, now. Elliana had been learning to dance, and seemed to be happy.

"Point your toe, Elliana." Dalriada said gently one day, helping Elliana lift her leg. It seemed that the girl had a gift for dancing. Dalriada found everything she had ever wanted in this child and she had never been happier. After the lesson was done, Dalriada showed Elliana how to wrap up her shoes and tuck them away in her trunk. Elliana smiled as only a three year old girl can do.

"Mommy, when will we be home?" She asked, crawling into her mother's lap and hugging her tightly. Her hair had grown out, and taken on an ethereal blue shimmer. The raven black under the blue made the girl look as nothing Dalriada had ever seen. Where had the color come from? Dalriada had fiery red hair, while Bryan had dirty blond sailor's hair.

"Soon, dear." Dalriada said. The ship lurched for a moment, and Dalriada looked up. She felt a shiver up her spine and she stood up. "Stay here, Elliana. I'll be right back." Elliana stayed put and Dalriada went up above. She found her husband pulling the sails tight. "Bryan, what's going on?"

"A storm. A bad storm. It'll be here soon." Bryan had no sooner spoken than a torrential rain splashed the deck. Dalriada grabbed onto his arm as the ship lurched again. She looked worried, and Bryan shared the feeling. He hollered orders to his crew as the storm rose.

Elliana watched as her mother left and looked around. How boring it was down here, day after day. She felt the ship lurching and wondered why the sea was throwing them back and forth. She climbed the ladder and looked about. Rain splashed on her head, but she found it refreshing. Elliana walked towards the stern and wondered where everyone was. She rounded the corner and climbed onto the railing, holding on tightly.

The sea was churning something awful. The waves were crashing into the sides of the ship with more force than Elliana had ever seen. She laughed and threw her head back, taking in the scent of it all. The blue-green of the waves…it had a scent. A dangerous, but calming scent. Sort of like the feeling she got from her mother. Her mother was a source of comfort for her, but Dalriada had a stormy secret. Elliana could feel this. She knew about secrets. And she knew how important it was to keep them.

One morning last summer, her father brought home a baby bird with a broken wing. Elliana was told to keep it a secret, and got to watch as the bird healed and was able to fly again. Her mother never knew, and that was quite a feat.

"Where is she?" Bryan asked as the crew descended to take shelter below. Dalriada looked around with fear. She didn't know where her daughter was, and that was a scary thought.

"Maybe she's just hiding." Dalriada said doubtfully. Bryan stumbled as the ship lurched again, but hurried to the ladder. He tried to open the hatch to get on deck, but cursed.

"Damn it! A crate must have slipped over it. Damn it to Hell, I can't get out." Bryan hopped down and ran to his wife who was sobbing madly.

"I want my daughter, Bryan!" She screamed. "I don't know where my daughter is!" Dalriada quickly became hysterical and suddenly didn't care what the sailors thought. She ran to the hatch and pushed with all her might, but it would not budge. She broke down again and cried freely. She dropped to her knees and prayed for her daughter's safety. Dalriada prayed for her daughter's life. Somehow, a knowing came over her. She knew then that her daughter would be alone for a long time.

Elliana was flung from the railing as the sea got rougher and the rains came harder. She ran slipping to the bow and still saw no one. She was not crying, although she felt she should be.

Suddenly, the gray clouds parted slightly and a beam of light was cast onto a place in the horizon. Seemingly from nowhere came a ghostly blue ship. Elliana peered at it with curiosity. Elliana heard the sea singing to her…

_Come to us, child. _She gripped the railing and leaned forward. _Dance with us, Elliana. _A pair of hands lifted Elliana from behind and put her into a lifeboat, dropping her into the waves. She didn't see the person, and she blacked out. Her dreams were filled with ghost ships and waves…and the mother that Elliana knew she would miss greatly.

Four hours later, Elliana awoke to find herself on another ship. She didn't know the people around her, but they seemed to coo over her unnecessarily. She was afraid, and felt an emptiness in her heart. Wrapped in blankets, Elliana looked around. Sitting by her side she found the trunk; looking as new as ever. An old man told her that they had found it in the wreckage.

Wreckage? Elliana leapt up and hurried to the side of the ship, waddling in her blankets. Looking out to the horizon, she knew she was far away from her mother. Elliana never cried and never spoke. The month's journey to England was unbearable. They didn't know anything about her, she found. They couldn't open her trunk. She would not talk, save muttering her name once.

They did not know that her home was Norway. They only knew that their ship was heading toward England. And so it had to be. Elliana ate nothing for four days after her saving. She eventually ate again, but no one would take responsibility for her. What would happen when the ship reached England? Elliana didn't know.

When London was sighted, an old hag declared that she would care for the child of the storm. Elliana found that the hag was nice enough, and began to talk a bit more. She became known by all around her as Stormborne.

Elliana hummed as she weeded the garden. Grandmother, as she had taken to calling the old woman, would be home very soon. Elliana, at seven years old, was doing most of the chores around the house. Earning her keep, and such. Grandmother was at the market, yet, and would be bringing home a chicken for dinner. Elliana finished in the garden and went inside to wash her hands. When she heard the dogs start barking, she ran outside.

"Come help me, child. I grow weary in my old age." The hag coughed, handing Elliana a basket of fruit. Elliana also took the chicken from the woman's arm. Elliana helped the old woman into the house and began preparing the meal. She was slicing apples when she heard Grandmother coughing ferociously.

Elliana ran into the front room where the woman liked to sit in front of the fire. The hag, covered in various rags and scarves, was nothing more than a rotting lump on the floor. Elliana knelt down beside her and lifted the woman's head.

"Grandmother? Are you ill?" Elliana squeaked. She patted the woman's head, not knowing what else to do. The hag coughed again, this time choking up blood. Elliana grimaced, but pressed on. "Grandmother?"

"You ask…stupid questions." Grandmother started coughing again. Elliana helped her to her feet and led her to her bed. Elliana pulled down the blankets and helped the old woman slip off her shoes. She tucked Grandmother in and stepped back. This didn't look good, Elliana reflected. Even only having seven years of life, Elliana knew the signs _of_ that life. This was not a sign of death.

Elliana had never felt like a slave in this house. Granted, she did much of the work. But the hag was old and dilapidated. Elliana felt like she owed the hag her life, and so she worked. It wasn't so bad. She loved flowers, and caring for them was fun. Elliana never wished ill on the woman, and would never do so. The fact that this woman was ill…maybe dying…was tearing her up inside. Elliana could feel the small certainty her life held slipping away.

During the next few hours, Elliana felt the spirit of the old woman slipping away. With every breath, Elliana could tell the woman was in pain. Elliana never left her side, and held her hand gently. She watched as the old woman's chest rose and fell. Elliana was not afraid for herself. She was afraid for the old woman. She was afraid that the old woman would have to face the unknown alone.

"Child, talk to me." The woman rasped, not turning or moving. Elliana was slightly taken aback after the long silence. She quickly found words, knowing that that was what the old woman needed most.

"Grandmother, the flowers are beautiful." Elliana said, letting the woman's last grasp be on something she cared about. "They will grow strong this summer and turn beautiful colors before their lives are through. Their leaves will be home to many insects, and they will shelter many from hardships. The flowers are so beautiful." Elliana squeezed the woman's wrinkled hand.

"My roses are…dying." The woman coughed again. Elliana knew the woman wasn't looking, but shook her head anyway.

"The roses are the prettiest, Grandmother. The thorns are sharp, but the roses are still the prettiest. You know, the field mice hide in the bushes. They like it there, for some reason." Elliana mused, and she felt the grip on her hand loosen. She bit her lip as the spirit lingered in the room…the spirit once so bright, now faded. It fled after a moment or two, and Elliana looked at the woman. "The mice will always love the roses." Elliana stood up and walked away from the bed, not looking back.

Wordlessly, Elliana packed the few things she had in a small bag. She hadn't ever opened the trunk. It didn't feel right…she knew there was great power there, and she didn't want to let it out. Elliana slung the bag over her shoulder and dragged the trunk out to the door. It became lighter as she dragged it, it seemed. Elliana paused for a moment before opening the door and looked up on the shelf beside the door. She reached a hand in a porcelain jar and withdrew a handful of rose petals. Elliana put these in her bag and slipped out the door.

Once outside, Elliana pondered where she was heading. She had no clue where she could go now…she was not afraid, though. Elliana pulled her trunk behind her and started off down the path. She started humming a familiar tune. The name of it was long forgotten, but the power of it lingered in her mind.

The dock was crowded and very loud, but Elliana could slip through the masses unnoticed. People left her alone, and that was a good thing. She saw a ship off to her right that seemed to suit her unknown purposes. Elliana hurried onboard when the crewman's back was turned, and slipped below deck. She hid among boxes and things to go yet again unnoticed. Something about the ship seemed familiar; like something out of a dream. The room seemed familiar as well. It was a smell she couldn't name, but one that she would never forget.

Once the ship started moving, Elliana felt better. They couldn't stop her now; save throwing her overboard. She was on her way to somewhere. Being seven, she couldn't help but dream of great castles in far off lands. Her stomach churned with hunger, but she ignored it. Elliana was becoming accustomed to ignoring her hunger.

No more than a few hours could have passed when the ship pulled into harbor. Elliana could hear people unloading things, and heaved her trunk out of her hiding place. She stuck her head out the hatch and looked around. The coast was clear, for the moment. Elliana climbed out and pulled up her trunk. It was almost to the railing when someone grabbed her roughly from behind.

"Let go of me!" Elliana cried.

"Stowaway." The man coughed, shoving her away. "The police will have you to do with as they like. I'd say the gallows." The man laughed heartily.

"They wouldn't hang me for being a stowaway." Elliana shot back. The man shrugged, and beckoned a policeman over. They spoke for a few minutes, and Elliana was led off the ship and away from the port. She was left to drag her trunk and carry her small bag, but it seemed like nothing compared to what lay ahead.

The system did not hang her. Much to the contrary, although Elliana would come to look upon the initial idea with something other than scorn. A quick death would become appealing. Fate was teasing her this way. Elliana was put in a dreary, nameless orphanage in Blarney.

"You, mouse. You will not get off easy here, let me guarantee you that. I've heard about your mishap on the boat. Do not think your rattish ways will earn you points here." The keeper of the house said. For a moment, Elliana feared the woman was referring to the wreck. But no…no one knew about that. "You will work in the town during the day and take lessons here in the afternoon. You will do chores along with the others. Now, here's your bed." The woman led Elliana into a large room painted all gray with two windows. There were twenty-five beds in the otherwise bare room. At the end of each bed was a trunk. At the end of Elliana's was her cedar chest. She never questioned it, for she saw the mistress looking at it with scorn.

As soon as the woman left, Elliana found herself alone. The light was dimming through the windows, but Elliana was not hungry. She knelt beside her trunk and ran a finger along the carvings. Her heart raced as a wave of heat swept over her and she became dizzy. She had never quite experienced a pain like this…

Mouse…run, mouse. Run and hide. Crouch behind boxes. Stay put…stay put…don't move. A room swirled into view. It was a small room, and Elliana had never seen it before. It seemed more like a dungeon than anything. The air was filled with smoke, and two figures hunched over something in a corner. A cauldron, it seemed. The kind in books and fairytales. Something was brewing…

Elliana's eyes snapped open, and she was sprawled out on the floor. A group of girls was clustered around her and she sat up quickly, ignoring the blood rushing to her head. She stood up and brushed herself off.

"Well, well. A mouse on our floor. Tell me, Mouse, were you dreaming?" A girl stepped forward with long, red hair. She had a malicious grin on her face as though she held the world in her palm. "You were twitching something awful…maybe a cat was chasing you."

Elliana glared at the girl, but another smaller girl pushed the red-head to the back. The smaller girl, still older than Elliana, smiled and extended her hand. She had short brown hair that lacked proper care, it seemed.

"Ignore Katrina. I'm Grace. Welcome to our hall." Grace glanced back at Katrina as Elliana stood there. Elliana didn't take her hand or speak, she merely stood silently. "Okay, then. Have it your way. I didn't talk much either when I first arrived. Still getting over the shock of being an orphan, I suppose." Grace smiled, but Elliana glared. The girl had said the wrong thing. It was apparent to all in the room. Elliana turned on her heel and pushed her way out of the circle, flopping on her bed.

"We've got chores, Mouse. Get moving." Katrina barked, hitting Elliana with a pillow. Elliana stood up grudgingly and followed the girls out of the hall. She didn't know how long she could put up with keeping her mouth shut. She had done it all her life, but so many insults swarmed in her mind. Her tongue was begging to be made a weapon.

The days were long. That much was agreed upon by all. Living in the orphanage was not hard, Elliana found. Living with the people was unbearable. Grace continued to try and make conversation, and Elliana continued her silence. Katrina continued her sneering remarks, as though unaffected by being an orphan herself.

Every night, Elliana silently prayed to some supreme being of the universe (whichever she felt would listen best) that something would pull her out of here. She prayed for Grandmother's soul, her mother and father, and Grace. Secretly, Elliana wanted to talk to Grace. But if Katrina could throw things that Elliana _didn't_ say in her face, she'd have a ball with the things Elliana did say.

Visions continued to haunt Elliana, but they came in the form of nightmares. She didn't know why she was seeing these things, and she didn't know if other people went through the same thing. She had never asked, and never would.

One day, as the girls returned from morning chores to dress for lessons, Elliana found a cluster of older girls around her trunk. She hurried forward and pushed her way through, glaring.

"What are you hiding, Mouse?" Katrina demanded, kicking the trunk.

"Get away from there." Elliana growled with hatred. She had to control herself. She had to keep silent. She couldn't do any of the things she was thinking about. Control. Control. Katrina stepped closer to the trunk.

"I bet it's empty. Is it empty, Mouse?" She knelt down and touched the latch. At that moment, a purple light sprang from the lock and threw her backwards. Katrina lay motionless several feet away. Several screams rose from the cluster and it was Grace that rushed to Katrina, kneeling beside her. She looked up at Elliana with fear in her eyes.

That moment froze all of time for Elliana. She felt personally responsible for what had happened…she felt as though that light was the explosion of anger from her very soul. She felt nothing.

"You killed her!" Grace screamed. "Witch! Satan's child!" The other girls joined the accusations, forcing Elliana backwards. "Get out! GET OUT!" Elliana ran into a wall on her hurry to get out of there. She hid down a corridor for several hours, until she was positive everyone was in lessons.

Elliana found her trunk untouched, but Katrina's body had been moved. It was as though people feared that trunk, but with good reason. Elliana pulled her trunk after her down the stairs and out the door, shivering when the cold air blasted her. She was a murderer at eight years old.

Once again, Elliana found herself completely alone and seeking shelter behind boxes. It was a gloomy day, and the threat of rain was ever-looming. It started soon after the thunder sounded. She shivered and looked around at her company. It had only been a few hours since she ran from the orphanage, but the weight of her deed was beginning to sink in. She felt violently ill. The street scum and beggars around her did little to ease her mood. Elliana would soon learn that she was one of them, however.

Over the next few days, Elliana concentrated on getting away from the orphanage. Little by little, she made it to a port city. She had no idea what it was called, but it seemed as cold and harsh as London had. Elliana had to beg for money, or dance for it. She did that often- the dancing. It made her happy, and it got her food.

One evening, Elliana stumbled upon a shop in Upper Lanister that threw out its scraps to a bunch of stray cats. Luckily, the cats took a liking to Elliana and let her share their pickings. She always had a cat around now, and that made her happy. Company keeps misery at bay.

One night, Elliana stumbled into a trashcan on her way to the back door. It was getting darker earlier, and she hadn't seen it. Instantly, a strange fear went through her. It wasn't the rush of knowing that she was doing something wrong- it was the dread of having her livelihood taken away. A light flicked on and the back door open. Elliana crouched down behind some boxes, but a man shined a torch in her direction.

"Who's there?" He called out in a thick accent. Elliana didn't move. The man started approaching her, and a large woman came to the door. The man grabbed Elliana by the arm and threw her to the ground in front of the door. She looked up in fear, pleading with the woman for gentleness.

"Oh, Sean, she's just a wee thing." The woman cooed, kneeling down to eye-level with Elliana. "We could clean her up a bit and have her run errands and such." The man grunted, but the woman lifted Elliana to her feet and led her inside. Elliana made an important discovery about independence that night. Survival is key. And survival is a whole lot easier when you have a roof over your head.

The next morning, before the man and his wife woke up, Elliana snuck back to her corner in the alley and pulled her trunk out from behind a stack of boxes. She towed it back to the shop and pulled it inside. The woman asked no questions about it, but did examine it carefully. She never tried to open in, but she did praise the carvings for a bit.

That day was the softest Hell Elliana had ever known. Her labor was strenuous, as she ran all over the city delivering bread and such. Her feet were bruised and bloodied, but she was grateful for the meals. Matra, as she had taken to calling the woman, was a wonderful cook.

Late in December, Elliana came down with a stomach illness. Matra sat by her side for days and nights until Elliana became strong again. It was a comfort to know that someone cared for her. Had she found peace at last? It seemed so. Her nights were still haunted, but her days were happy. Times were hard, but it was the most peaceful time of Elliana's existence.

After Elliana's illness, Sean beat her for slowing down business. Somehow, the beating didn't hurt. Elliana ran a loaf of bread to an old woman up the street. She was rewarded with a fresh cookie. Taking the pay back to Matra, Elliana began humming. It was that haunting tune that Elliana just knew. She had never learned it, in truth. It just was in her head. She danced to it often times.

Elliana stopped at the doorway to the shop to wipe her feet on the mat when she heard shrill screaming. Fear sank into her heart as she recognized Matra's shouts. A sick feeling rose inside of her as she realized she had heard those screams before. Those screams had almost risen out of her own mouth. She opened the door slightly and the words became intelligible.

"Sean! Saints be good, Sean!" Matra ran into the hallway and spotted Elliana. Elliana smiled weakly, but that dropped in a moment. Matra's eyes held no affection for the poor orphan. Not anymore. Elliana backed up slowly, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

"Matra?" Elliana ventured, feeling confident in Matra's silence.

"Damn you, wretched girl! Damn you! He was a good man…he didn't want any of your filth, but I convinced him otherwise. Now, he's dead by the hands of you!" Matra screamed, throwing a vase at Elliana. She ducked quickly and took cover in a corner.

"I was running bread, Matra." Elliana said quietly, forcing the tears away.

"Get out of my house, and take that sorcery with you." Matra shoved Elliana into the back room where her trunk lay, pristinely virgin and seemingly untouched. Sean's lifeless body was crumpled a few feet away.

Elliana, in that moment, was won over by anguish and anger. Her cry rose to the highest clock towers of the town. It was like that of a banshee, crying for it's lost family. The banshee, like Elliana, had once been bonded to a family throughout generations. The cry of anguish that rose from its form was ethereal at least. The sign that one of its dear ones had passed away.

Then, the realization hit Elliana. She'd never be truly free anywhere as long as she had that trunk. But, it was her livelihood. She would never part with it. It was her rock of Gibraltar; the only thing that lay proof of her trials. Elliana grabbed the trunk and pulled it after her, through the halls and out the door.

The door to Life slammed shut with the shop door. Elliana felt completely closed off again; left alone with her hauntings and realizations. She nearly retched when she realized that Sean had betrayed her. That Matra had thrown her out. That she was only with a powerful magic that she couldn't control.

The lights dimmed on the town and tears streamed down Elliana's face. Rain came quickly, and Elliana shivered in the cold. The stars gave her no comfort. They taunted her from the heavens. Elliana looked down at her trunk and cursed mentally, kicking it hard. All of the force of her anger went into that kick, and a loud 'thud' resounded from the cedar.

Her foot throbbed.

"Lassie? Lassie?" Elliana felt something moving her body, and she willed herself back into the oblivion of dreams. Somehow, her mind wouldn't follow her command and her eyes opened. Standing over her was an old man; grinning toothlessly. "Lassie, you're bleeding."

Elliana looked down at her hand groggily and groaned. Her hand was indeed bloody. She had cut it open last night on a shard of glass. She had been digging through a dumpster for scraps of food and her hand had been gashed open. Elliana was still bleeding, and felt light-headed for it.

The old man pulled her to her feet and helped her into his car. He drove her to the hospital. Had Elliana been in a better frame of mind, she might have objected. Instead, she was vaguely aware of being taken into a doctor and being stitched up. She didn't remember when they put her into a bed, but she remembered hating it.

Elliana found herself in bed for a week. The hospital claimed she was weak and had suffered a large loss of blood. The old man, Conner Darley, stayed by her bedside every day and most of each night. Elliana wasn't quite sure why, but she felt it had something to do with people's urge to help people inferior to themselves. Or something like that. Elliana didn't speak to the old man, but he talked to her quite frequently. Elliana refused to get close to another person. It was dangerous. On the positive side, Elliana had no clue where her trunk was. Under a substantial amount of drugs, Elliana didn't really care. Once again, had she been in a better frame of mind, she might have been panicking.

"We can't have you living on the streets." Conner said on one rainy morning. "I mean, it isn't safe for- what are you, ten?- a young girl such as yourself. You can live with my daughter. She's always wanted a daughter, but she and her husband haven't had much luck with that sort of thing. She'll be glad to take you in and you can have a proper home with a mother and a father- and oh dear, you have blue hair, my dear." Conner stopped and peered closely at Elliana's hair, which had caught a glint of fluorescent light when she had moved.

"Anyway," Conner said, shaking his head. "You can start at Hogwarts in the spring. You are a witch, of course."

"Why are you doing this?" Elliana asked suddenly, sitting up. Conner jumped. He put a hand over his heart as though settling it from a startle. "And what do you mean about me being a witch?" Elliana looked confused. She had always known, that was true. And the trunk was definitely enchanted. She was still very confused as to how the man knew.

"Oh, lassie. You've always been a witch. Surely you've made things happen without really thinking about it. You must have proper education and things. We'll call it a shortcut to the system. You know, it is ever so hard for my daughter to adopt a child. So much paperwork. Far too much for me to expect you to understand. Just know that it is quite a hassle and she'd rather have a Christmas gift. And Christmas is- dear me!- Tomorrow, child. Christmas is tomorrow." Conner seemed to bounce with enthusiasm, and Elliana couldn't help but smile. She was still swallowing the whole witch thing. She wasn't sure why he was giving her a chance at a life, but she daren't question such things.

Fate is fickle, and egotistical at that. If Fate were to think that you didn't like a gift, she'd snatch it right back in an instant. If you added insult to injury by laughing at the circumstances, she'd take back the colorful ribbon as well. Yes. It was best not to question the lady Fate.


	2. Tempting Fate

Part Two: Tempting Fate

_I don't hear you leave.  
I wonder how am I still here.  
I don't want to move a thing;  
It might change my memory._

Elliana sat in her dormitory at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, studying for a particularly difficult Arithmancy exam. Her dorm mates rarely spent time up here, and she found her room peaceful. Elliana was in her fourth year at the boarding school now, and she loved it. She had been placed in Slytherin, and found that it suited her well. It was the most stable place she had ever been. After Mr. Darley and his daughter had taken her in, her life seemed to turn around. Granted, she never let people get close to her.

Elliana had just celebrated her fourteenth birthday not too long ago. She hadn't told anyone it was even her birthday. It had been hard enough to finally tell Mr. Darley her name. She had given her adopted surname, Stormborne, as well. Not long afterwards, a trunk was delivered to the Darley residence. Elliana was shocked to find that it was her trunk. It would be a mystery, as long as she lived, as to how the trunk had found it's way back to her. Maybe Mr. Darley was right…maybe she was a witch. Maybe she had Summoned the trunk by will or something. Elliana cursed it night after night, but never out loud. She didn't _really_ want bad things to happen to the trunk.

The lamp flickered briefly in front of Elliana and she shrugged it off. If the power went out, she's climb up on the roof and do her homework there. It was a full moon tonight, and it would grant her enough light to see. The moon drew her in. Elliana closed her book and sighed. She looked around the room for something to do.

The window was open, even though winter was fast approaching. It let a cool air in that Elliana's roommates hated. She basked in it, though. She found the chill pleasing. Her bed was wedged in the corner, and her trunk sat at the end of it. In contrast to her roommates' walls, Elliana's corner was mostly bare. She had a shelf up with a few trinkets and books on it, but very little more.

Alison's bed, to the left, was made up with fluffs and ruffles. Elliana silently wondered how little animals could be so appealing. Alison's wall was covered with posters of puppies and lambs and kittens. It sickened Elliana, but to each her own. Natalie's bed on the opposite wall was covered with a homemade quilt. Elliana often wondered what it would be like to be covered in a quilt that had been made with love and care. She had never experienced it, she didn't think. Above Natalie's bed were ribbons and trophies of all sorts. Natalie was an excellent chaser and an academic leader.

Elliana sat down cross-legged on her bed and grabbed her hairbrush. She hummed as she began to work through the tangles. Elliana found her hair a source of great amusement. It shimmered blue, and that scared most people. Elliana found it ironic that she, the Mouse, would have anything noteworthy about herself. Luckily, there were no random claims to sorcery here- they were all very well founded.

Elliana finished brushing her hair and looked at the clock. Her roommates would still be out on their dates. It was a Saturday, and still early. It irked Elliana to be bored so early. She couldn't focus on her exam anymore. Maybe she could dance a bit before her roommates got back. Usually, Elliana had to sneak out to get privacy. Tonight she could bask in the warmth of her room.

Once in her tunic, Elliana warmed up with stretches. She started slow with some small spins and gradually pushed herself to larger ones. Once in full motion, Elliana was swept away from conscientiousness. She was thrown back with the power of a vision.

A thin woman with long, curly red hair spun around gracefully and moved with the ease of an expert. The woman danced to music in her head. The room was small, and seemed to tilt every now and then. The back wall was lined with boxes, and in front of them sat a cedar trunk, swirled with runes and carvings. Next to the woman sat a little girl, watching the first intensely. The little girl could have been no older than three, but she had a dancer's form already.

_As the older woman stopped dancing, the little girl stood up and moved forward. Elliana watched from outside of this scene as the little girl started spinning, imitating the older woman. The woman laughed and helped the girl straighten her back and lift her leg higher. The woman loved the little girl; that was apparent._

Elliana was thrown out of the vision with startling force. She looked around instinctively. She was still alone, but now settled firmly on the floor rather than in the fluid motion of dance. The clock had progressed fifteen minutes. Elliana sighed and grasped onto the images as they slipped away.

"Elliana, are you going to Hogsmeade?" Alison asked as she brushed her hair up into a ponytail. Elliana looked up from her Potions book and shook her head. Alison snorted and turned around. "You never go anywhere. Surely you must tire of being alone."

Elliana's eyes flashed gold with anger and Alison leapt backwards in fright. She had never seen this occur before, although Natalie had told her of it once. Elliana stood up and tucked her book away; eerily silent. She strode past Alison and almost got to the door. Alison grabbed her arm.

"Elliana, I'm just trying to help. Maybe I could get someone to go with you? I know this fifth year boy in Ravenclaw…" Alison trailed off as Elliana glared at her. The eyes had changed back to a sea green, but they were still stormy. Alison had always tried her best to be nice to Elliana, but Elliana wouldn't have it. She took it as pity, even though Alison meant it as kindness.

"I'm going to the library." Elliana said shortly, grabbing her bag. Alison let go of her arm, but made no move to get out of Elliana's way. The girl that Elliana had always pegged as kind and sweet now had a look of Death on her face. It frightened Elliana not in the least.

"Of course you are." Alison said shortly. "You'll rot in there, Stormborne. You've been to Hogsmeade all of once in the time that I've known you, and that was to buy a Herbology book because yours got eaten by a Kneazle." Alison didn't laugh, or make any sign that this was intended to lighten the situation.

"Then I rot." Elliana growled, pushing her way past her roommate. She got all the way down the hall before she had the slightest bit of yearning to go to Hogsmeade. Elliana ignored it with force. She would crush the little voice.

Elliana walked down the girls' staircase and found herself once again in the Slytherin common room. She hated the common room for the most part, but it wasn't so bad when it was empty. The room seemed to have infinite dark corners, but the whole room was dark. The walls were painted a rich emerald green and were lined with silver. The high back chairs that were placed around two center tables were made of a deep mahogany and cushioned with a sleek, green material. Elliana noted that the common room had been decorated for class, not for comfort. One wall sported a large, marble fireplace. The marble was a grayish white with bits of silver embedded in. The fires never seemed warm in this room; as though they themselves had also been made for class over comfort.

The room was empty now, and Elliana was grateful. She might have considered staying here, but she had to go to the library. There was an essay due on Monday, and Elliana was only halfway done. As she left the common room, she reflected how highly unusual this lack of energy was for her. Maybe she was getting sick. Maybe she should take some time off from school. No, that wasn't possible. As Elliana debated this in her head, she rounded a corner and smacked into someone.

"What the hell are you doing?" A voice demanded as Elliana faltered backwards. Elliana looked up to see a Slytherin fifth year looking back at her. His name was Wynton Ashwinder. She didn't know him personally, but she recognized him as a Prefect.

"I _was_ walking." Elliana retorted.

"Since what, yesterday?" The boy laughed. It was the malicious laugh of someone who thought they were being clever. Of course, Elliana was quite positive that his response lacked any intelligence whatsoever. Elliana grabbed her fallen bag and put it over her shoulder, starting past Wynton. "Stormborne!" Elliana stopped at her name and spun around. Her instincts told her to keep walking, but that damned little voice dared her to stay.

"Yes?" Elliana asked impatiently, crossing her arms. She had the disadvantage here, though. She had to figure out how to change that. Elliana found that age was a disadvantage in this hierarchy of a school. The older people almost always won the arguments, while the younger people were left a few house points shorter. Also, in Slytherin, the richer people were of a higher rank than the poor ones. Here, Elliana was the poorer one. She told no one of her living status away from school, but people could tell. Elliana was a little more closed off than the others- she had no wealth to flaunt. She didn't buy Christmas presents for anyone- most overlooked the fact that she had no one to buy them for. It was taken merely as a stingy aspect of her makeup. Wynton looked at her with amusement, as most did. He, of course, was dressed sharply. His boots were polished, his collar was starched, and his name brand black sweater was lint-free.

"Where are you going? Hogsmeade is this way." The Ashwinder boy had been placed in Slytherin for a reason, of course. This was one of those reasons. He was obviously cunning. Smart enough to force information out of her. She couldn't very well reply, 'I'm not going to Hogsmeade' because that would have sounded stupid. At the same time, Elliana couldn't think of any reason that she _couldn't_ go to the wizarding village. She hated crowds. She hated social things. But that was about it. Damn.

"I'm going to the library." Elliana said. Wynton shrugged.

"I could have guessed that, Stormborne. But it's a Hogsmeade day, and I'm sure you've studied more than anyone else this past week." He smirked in jest and shoved his hands into his robe pockets.

"I'm so thankful for your concern." Elliana replied, rolling her eyes. "Now, if you'll please let me get on with my studying." The fifth year closed the gap between them. His hazel eyes lacked anything but taunting.

"There's going to be a ballet." He said quietly. Elliana looked at him doubtfully.

"In the village?" She asked, fidgeting with her bag. A ballet! A real ballet! She'd never been to a ballet before, and it irked her that she hadn't known about it. Elliana bit her lip.

"Yes. And I know you like dancing, Stormborne. I've seen you sneaking out at night more than once to dance. Come to the village." He pulled out something from his pocket and handed it to her. It was a program for the ballet- and a ticket.

"With you?" Elliana asked, looking at the ticket in disbelief. Again, she pondered what she had done to deserve- what? Kindness? The boy smiled.

"Yes. With me." Wynton raised an eyebrow, waiting for the refusal that she wanted so badly to give. But she couldn't. She wanted to see the ballet. Elliana forced herself to believe that this was not a social thing at all.

"Fine. But it isn't a date." Elliana said. She looked and him defiantly and he laughed. Okay, Elliana thought. Maybe he was just trying to be kind. Or maybe he really wanted to take over the world. She was confused.

"Okay. The ballet starts at six, so we can have dinner first. Well, you can have dinner and I can have dinner and it will be in the same restaurant but it won't be a date. Would you like to change?" Wynton started back towards the common room and Elliana followed. Of course, she'd dress up for the ballet. It was expected. Besides, she'd seen the theatre in Hogsmeade. It was exquisite.

"Yes, and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes." Elliana said once they reached the common room. "Ashwinder?" She asked as she started up the stairs. He turned around to face her.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

Elliana had never been so excited in her entire life. She was going to a ballet! Had she been a small child, she might have bounced around. As it was, she smiled and hummed to herself as she walked back to the dorm. She opened the door and found Alison inside.

"Stormborne." Alison said shortly. Elliana ignored her completely and forced her happiness to remain inside. She opened her trunk and found her favorite set of robes. As she pulled them out, something else caught her eye. It was a bit of shimmery blue material that caught the light and changed colors. Elliana set the dress robes aside and pulled at the material, finding that it was attached to a dress. Elliana held the dress up to herself in front of the full-body mirror. It was floor-length, and all made of the shimmery blue material. The sleeves, however, were made of a sheer silver fabric that also draped across the neck. Curious, Elliana slipped behind the dressing screen and changed into the dress. It fit perfectly. The again, Elliana partially expected this. It seemed that everything she had found in her cedar trunk was custom made for her. It was odd.

Elliana walked over to the mirror and felt the dress sway with her every move. She smiled slightly at her reflection and then grabbed her brush. She unbraided her hair and brushed it smooth. Elliana pinned it up into a twist and pulled a cloak on. She hurried out the door and down the steps, bursting with excitement.

"Stormborne."

Elliana looked towards the voice and found Wynton Ashwinder sitting by the fire. He smiled at her and swept over to the bottom of the steps. He offered her his arm and she took it politely.

"Shall we?" He asked. She nodded and smiled as they left the common room.

The walk to Hogsmeade was cold, as winter full upon them. Christmas holidays started in a week, so the next few days would be full of exams. Elliana felt slightly guilty for not studying, but that was largely overwhelmed by her excitement. She didn't hold up her end of the conversation, but Wynton seemed to understand.

"I suppose you're staying for the holidays. I am too. At least, this year. I stayed my first year because my father was away on business, but he's been home since. This year, he's going to visit his father. I have no interest in going to Norway to visit a senile old man. Believe me, my father reprimanded me heavily for telling him I'd rather stay at Hogwarts." Wynton watched as the theatre came into view and Elliana's eyes widened. "I've heard the Transfiguration exam is going to be awful this year." Elliana was in Wynton's Transfiguration class, she realized. She took the class with the fifth years as an accelerated course. Elliana pulled out the program and looked through it, wondering which pieces she would know. She had never seen a ballet, that was true, but she had heard most of the music at the Darleys' home or from her mother long ago. She barely remembered dancing with her mother, but the music seemed to stay with her.

They passed the theatre and continued down the road to a small restaurant. A middle-aged wizard seated them by a window. Elliana found herself watching the people outside. It was starting to snow. The people all looked so happy and carefree. Two little girls danced in the snow and played with the few flakes that had begun to stick on the street. Elliana felt so detached from the world in her own happiness. Wynton put a hand on hers and she looked up, startled. She hadn't been paying attention, and a waitress had come to take their order.

"I'd like the soup, please." Elliana said softly, looking slightly embarrassed about having been distracted. Wynton ordered a ham sandwich and two hot chocolates- one for each of them. The waitress took their menus and swept away.

"Stormborne, are you okay?" Wynton asked as Elliana's eyes went to the window again. The snow was no longer pleasant, large flakes. It was sleet, and very very watery. Elliana's eyes held a fear of something…like she was in a different place.

"Yes…I'm fine." Elliana took a sip of her water and kept her eyes from the window. She couldn't think of what was outside. It would mar her happiness. Wynton looked concerned, but didn't say anything. He waited for her to speak. She began, slowly. Elliana wasn't quite sure why she owed him any explanation whatsoever. But the explanation came anyway. "I don't like rain…or sleet. Uncontrolled water…that sort of thing."

"Stormborne, there's a lake at Hogwarts. You see it every day." Wynton made sure to keep the sneering out of his voice. It was difficult. Elliana looked up at him and met his eyes.

"Not if I don't look."

Wynton handed the witch in the box office their tickets and held the door open for Elliana. An usher seated them. The seats were extremely good; first row mezzanine. Elliana sat patiently, listening to the music that lifted into the highest rafters. The music before the ballet was wonderful. It had a slow, dreamy quality that seemed to lull Elliana out of reality.

After the incident in the restaurant, the rest of the meal passed uneventfully. The sleet continued to come, but Elliana ignored it. She had to draw out her excitement about the ballet and push away her silly fear. Wynton had been relatively quiet, and that was to be expected. Elliana knew that people saw her as fragile and troubled. They either feared her or pitied her. She hated it, and that's why she pushed people away. There had to be a barrier between herself and others. There had to be.

The gold outer curtain rose and the inner curtain parted. The first piece was by an old Norwegian wizard, and was rather upbeat. The whole company, it seemed, was on the stage dancing a large duel. Elliana looked in the programs. Oh, that made sense. The goblin rebellions. Elliana watched as the goblins, dressed in olive-colored tunics, slowly overtook the wizards and witches and scattered on the stage. They danced their victory and the inner curtain closed. The audience rose with applause.

The next piece was a solo dance by a young man. Halfway through the piece, three other people- two women and another man- joined him. They danced friendship, hardship, and success. The first man and the dark-haired woman parted from the other two and seemed to carry on their own romance. The dark-haired woman's moves became slower, and she crumpled to the floor. The three others gathered around her, weeping over her still body. Oh…Elliana remembered now. The founders of Hogwarts. Rowena Ravenclaw had died unexpectedly, and Godric Gryffindor had been torn apart. Then he-

Elliana watched as the man dancing Gryffindor drew a vial from a pouch around his waist. He slipped the cork from the bottle and held it up. The audience gasped, for the better part of them knew how the story went. Gryffindor drank the contents of the vial and threw it aside, not flinching as it cracked on the stage. He danced across the stage and his movements became slurred and slowed. Gryffindor ended crumpled next to Ravenclaw's body. Elliana knew of a muggle tale that had been inspired by this event. A few minutes after the silent observance and mournful dances of the two other founders, Ravenclaw woke up. She conveyed to them that she had been under a Sleeping Spell, and wasn't really ever dead. The woman dancing Helga Hufflepuff pointed to Gryffindor's dead body. Rowena hurried over to him and wept.

Then, she touched his lips before drawing a dagger from the folds of her tunic. She held it up, and it caught the glimmer of the stage lights. Elliana gasped as Ravenclaw plunged the dagger into her stomach and bent over, dead.

The audience silent for a moment, and then the applause was thunderous. Elliana decided that that dance was singularly the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her whole life. The curtain closed and the applause quieted. A moment later, the curtain opened again and the stage was clear.

The ballet progressed through history, and was thoroughly exciting. Elliana's favorite dance had to have been the Fall of Grindelwald. The Founders' dance had been beautiful, but Grindelwald's dance was full of passion and excitement and lots of fancy wand tricks.

The end of the ballet came as the biggest shock. In the program, the dance was called The Great Drowning. Elliana watched the dance with wide eyes, waiting for the water. She knew there would be water. The story of the Drowning was a sad one. A whole shipment of Ollivander's wands had been on a boat from England to Norway to sell. Along with these wands were several loads of books, cauldrons, and other supplies needed to set up a wizarding supply center, much like Diagon Alley, in Norway. Elliana watched as the woman who had danced Hufflepuff came out and danced a woman on the ship. The woman was a dancer. The man who had danced Slytherin came out and danced the father. Various members of the company danced people at the port, crew members, and the waves.

Elliana watched in horror as the waves rose, and the music turned into rain. The crew was trying to buckle down and save themselves from the storm. They all went below deck to seek shelter from the impending hardship. In an ironic twist of fate, all of them died. No one was left alive, the ballet said. No one.

Elliana knew that this was wrong. It suddenly all became very clear, and Elliana had to turn away from the ballet. Luckily, the curtain came down and the audience's applause drowned out Elliana's tears. She slipped from the mezzanine and went into the loo. Quickly, she dried off her tears and hurried back to find Wynton.

"What did you think?" Wynton asked, taking her arm. Elliana bit her lip and tried to think how she could answer him clearly, tersely, and without giving away her emotions.

"I thought the Fall of Grindelwald was the most exciting." Elliana said. And that was it. Wynton seemed to know that she didn't want the matter pressed, and left her alone. They walked back to Hogwarts in silence, and Wynton let Elliana stay in the Entrance Hall at her request. She made her way down to the common room after a while. It was crowded, and she slipped past them all and up to her dorm.

Elliana sat alone on Christmas Eve, reading a favorite novel of hers. She had already read it six times, but she never tired of it. Her roommates were gone for the holidays. Most of Slytherin was. Only Wynton had stayed, and she had been avoiding him. Elliana felt horribly guilty about losing herself over a dance, so she avoided him. She hadn't been going to meals. Eating wasn't important, really. She had some crackers stashed on her shelf and that was it. Elliana had trained herself long ago when not to be hungry.

Exams had gone well- Elliana was easily the top of her class. She had immersed herself in her studies after the ballet. She couldn't bear thinking about what she had seen. Elliana supposed she had always known it, but she thought she had been the only one. Apparently, it was a huge loss to the wizarding world. Everyone knew about it, it seemed. Elliana shook the thought out of her head.

A knock on her door shook her out of her reverie. Elliana groaned to herself. Of course, she knew who it had to be. She tried to ignore it, but she knew that Wynton would come in with or without and invitation. Elliana pointed her wand at the door and watched as it swung open. Wynton stepped inside.

"I see. Death by starvation. What, did you not get a perfect score on the Potions exam?" Wynton taunted her. Elliana rolled her eyes and marked her page, putting her book aside. She didn't move from her bed, though.

"The Potions exam was frighteningly simple and I got one hundred and five percent." Elliana said flatly, tucking her knees to her chest. Wynton laughed and sat on Alison's bed; frowning deeply at the ruffles.

"Of course you did. Now, do you want your Christmas present now or tomorrow?" Wynton asked. Elliana wanted to throw him out the window. Did he even realize she was trying to avoid him? He was being overbearing in the least.

"I don't want it." Elliana said shortly.

"Yes, you do."

"I didn't get you anything."

"But now you'll have to." Wynton threw her a box. Elliana made no effort to catch it, and it landing on the end of her bed. She just let it sit there.

"You already took me to the ballet. That was a wonderful Christmas gift." Elliana said, sighing. "I don't want anything that I can't give in return." She picked up the box and handed it back to him.

"You can keep it. Maybe you'll change your mind." Wynton said, standing up. "Honestly, this fluffy bit is too much." He crinkled his nose at the comforter. "I hope, for your sake, that it's just a phase." With that, he stepped out the door and closed it behind him.

Elliana rolled her eyes again and threw his gift aside. She was sick of being followed around. He didn't exactly _follow_ her, per se, but he definitely showed up at least twice after her classes or something. Elliana, who had never really had friends, thought that that was extensively stalkerish and foul. She basked in the silence of having him gone.

January came and Elliana's roommates returned. Alison said nothing to Elliana. She was still mad about their fight before Christmas. Natalie, on the other hand, had participated in a Quidditch competition over the holidays and had yet another medal to add to her growing collection. Elliana was glad that classes had started again. She noted that Wynton never talked to her anymore. Was that what she had wanted all along? Elliana wasn't sure.

One night, Elliana was sitting in the back corner of the library with her homework spread out around her. She was reading over a chapter for Herbology when someone stood in her light. She set her book down and looked up, quite annoyed.

"Yes, Ashwinder?" Elliana asked, not standing up. Wynton looked quite vexed, and knelt down to be at eye-level with her.

"What's the key, Elliana?" He asked, deadly serious. Elliana was taken aback, but she masked this surprise.

"What key?" She asked flatly.

"The key. I've tried so hard to be a friend. No one else will. Everyone else either fears you or you've pissed them off. You don't let anyone in. Your roommates avoid you, your classmates ignore you, and you don't let it bother you at all." Wynton raised an eyebrow and watched her. She didn't flinch or act as if this was a shock at all.

"There is no key. I don't _care_." Elliana said, her voice devoid of emotion.

"That much is apparent. I've tried to be nice to you, I've tried to give you space. Nothing works. Maybe I'm not the type of person you want for a friend- but I don't think that's it. I think you have some sort of issue with people altogether. What is the _key_?" Wynton kept his voice even to match hers. He wouldn't plead, but he wouldn't yell either.

"I don't want to talk now, Ashwinder. I'm trying-" Elliana reached for her book but Wynton grabbed her wrist. She glared at him, but he didn't let go. Elliana yanked her wrist away. "Don't touch me."

"Fine, I won't. But I want to know right now why you do this to people? Why do you push everyone away? I do not intend to sit here all night and play psychiatrist with you, so you'd better give me some answers soon. I am not one to be played with." He was serious, Elliana realized. He actually expected her to tell him something…something that would settle his curiosity enough to let her be.

"I have to."

"Push everyone away?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I am not going to sit here and spread my life out like jam in front of you, Ashwinder. Leave me be." Elliana looked away. She forced thoughts of the ballet from her head.

"Not yet. I want to know why you won't tell me."

"I don't tell anyone." Elliana answered pointedly. It was true. She didn't have friends. Friends were dangerous, she'd found. The last person that had tried to be her friend had ended up very hurt indeed.

"Stormborne, give me a straight answer."

"Once you utter something, it becomes real. And once something becomes real, it can be used against you." Elliana stood up and pointed her wand at her homework, muttering something and causing it to pile up nicely and slip into her bag. She looked back at Wynton.

"Stupid riddles. I'm in no mood."

"You wouldn't have that problem if you had gone away." Elliana retorted.

"I will go away now." Wynton stood up and shook his head. "I won't ever speak to you again, for that is obviously what you want. You can go back to your solitude. You can go back to your world of no friends, no one to talk to. You can _drown_ in it!" Wynton almost fell backwards when Elliana slapped him. He could feel his cheek swelling and he looked at her in shocked disbelief.

"Don't _ever_ say that again." Elliana growled.

"I won't ever say anything again." Wynton turned on his heel and strode out of the library. Elliana watched him go, and then grabbed her bag. She ran out of the library and in the opposite direction Wynton Ashwinder had gone.

Elliana stepped off the train at Platform nine and three-quarters. She dragged her trunk through the barrier and continued in solitude through the station. Once she got outside, she spotted Kristin Darley. Kristin was Conner's daughter, and had adopted Elliana. Kristin swept over to Elliana and helped her with her trunk. It was always a wonder to Elliana why Kristin never got hurt doing this. Everyone else had.

"How were the exams, dear?" Kristin asked sweetly. Elliana was appreciative of a place to live and a family, but she had never truly gotten close to them. Elliana smiled for Kristin's sake, though.

"They were difficult, but I did well." Elliana said, putting her trunk into the car. Kristin would drive to a town a few miles away and they would floo home from there.

"Are you still the top of your class?"

"Yes." Elliana said as Kristin started the car. "I'll know whether or not I'm a Prefect by the end of July."

"That's wonderful, dear." Kristin said as she pulled out of the station parking lot. "I was a Prefect when I was in Hogwarts. Of course, I was never the top of the class- but I was a good student. The _key_ is to be nice to everyone." Kristin smiled good-naturedly, but Elliana was annoyed. Stupid keys.

"We'll see." Elliana said with finality, ending the conversation.

The town was small, and Elliana had never learned its name. But, it had a connection to the Floo network without having to fight the crowds in Diagon Alley. Kristin returned the car to a friend and pulled Elliana's cedar chest out of the back seat. Elliana carried it while Kristen opened the door into the museum. They took the lift to the top floor and then opened the door into a small room- the Salem exhibit. The room had a fireplace on one wall. Kristin threw some Floo powder into the fire and motioned for Elliana to go first. Elliana pulled in her trunk and shouted, "Valley Lodge."

Elliana whirled in the Floo system and watched as two dozen fireplaces whizzed by. Finally, she found her stop and stepped out. Kristin's house was a quiet, but modern home on the outskirts of Dublin. Elliana liked it here. The living room was done in modest colors, and Mr. Darley sat on the gray couch. He stood up and swept Elliana into a hug. Elliana complied and smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Darley." Elliana said. Conner let her go and grinned.

"Elliana, lassie. How was Hogwarts? I got your letters, of course. I'm so sorry I couldn't write you back every time. My hands ache, you know. You did get the letters I _did _send, of course. And the description of the ballet sounded wonderful!" Conner laughed and greeted Kristin as she stepped out. Of course, Elliana had left out the bit about the Great Drowning. "The cookies from Honeydukes were heaven." Conner continued. "I think Kristin found a recipe for them somewhere. Kristin?"

"Yes, dad. I did."

"Good, then. I daresay we'll be having more of those. Oh, you must be tired, dear. Why don't you go up to bed. I had Jitter air it out just yesterday." Conner smiled as the house-elf entered the room with dinner for Elliana. The house-elf followed her up the stairs and set the tray carefully on her desk.

"Thank you, Mr. Darley." Elliana called once she had set down her trunk. A chuckle told her that he had heard. Elliana gave Jitter her bag of dirty robes and things. He took them down and promised to have them wash in the morning. Elliana slipped off her shoes and locked the door.

Her room was very much like her dorm at school- little decoration. Her bed had a plain blue comforter on it and her curtains matched it. Next to her bed was her desk, and over the desk were three shelves. Elliana loved books, and each shelf was full of them. Her dresser was on the opposite wall next to her closet door.

Elliana pulled a pair of pajamas out of her dresser drawer and slipped them on. She climbed into bed and turned out the light, sighing. It had been a long year. Wynton had left her alone, true to his word. Everyone else had left her alone as well. She talked to no one. It seemed as though Wynton had put the world under a Silencing Charm whenever she came near anyone. It was lonely, but it was exactly what she had asked for. Elliana had danced more than ever. It was a way to get away from her pain. She had always convinced herself that she was happy in her life. She knew now that that was not true. Elliana had never been happier than the moment that Wynton asked her to the ballet. Someone had cared, and yet again she had pushed them away. Fate had dealt her a hand to play, the stakes had been raised, and Elliana had folded because the risk was too high.

The October moon was taunting. The moon had power over the tides, Time, and souls on earth. It was all under the influence of a silver orb in the night sky. The moon had power, and everyone else were weaklings. Night was a playground for nightmares and deceptions. Spiders and crawling things that sent chills up one's spine. Night showed no mercy to anyone but the Damned. Night was their playground.

The castle grounds were silent, but ever moving. A girl danced by the lake, out of view of most windows. She danced, totally secluded in the world that she called her own. The girl was in a star-crossed reality. Never really there, but never really gone either. She danced oblivious. And dancing would become her oblivion.

_The icy lake sang to her. Her lullaby, but haunting all the same. The ripples in the water called to her; beckoned her. There were mermaids in the lake, but they weren't the source of the phantasmal torture. Something else was…not the sirens of old or the night birds. It was something more haunting. Like demons or goblins with their enchanting song. _

_As the girl danced, she held all of the secrets of her past in her fluid motions. She did not seem to care about the world around her. It was her secret, this dance. Fully undisturbed until a shadow rose in the night. A spy, filching her secrets slowly from beneath her. A spy that would be the death of her, it seemed._

Elliana jolted from the dream. The morning sun was streaming in her window and the birds were singing cheerfully. Elliana shook the nightmare from her head. Her nightmares were as strong as ever these days. Summer nights often found her staying up late just to avoid them…it never worked. The nightmares came as an onslaught of fear and omen. Elliana sat up in bed, thankful for the morning.

While most students welcomed summer holidays, Elliana found herself dreading them. The visions would never leave her, it seemed, but she still had to maintain a happy façade for those around her. Her new family was quixotic, and never cleared their eyes long enough to see her true feelings. Elliana found that all the better. If she could hide herself from them, the prying questions would go away.

As for the visions, it was clear that they would stay. Elliana had made a decision in the past two weeks away from school. This was power, and this power must be used properly. She would have no power swinging in front of her face and hitting her with surprising force. Elliana decided that if she was to suffer pain, she wanted to use it to her eternal advantage.

The books on the shelf were a place to start. They were nothing compared to the volumes of the Hogwarts' library, so Elliana began to make notes and such about possible further research. She wanted to know what this thing was, and how to use it. Her search had started two days again in a new book called _Unfogging the Future. _It would become the volume for the Divination classes at Hogwarts next year, but Elliana had ordered a copy as soon as it hit the shelves. She was Flourish and Blotts' favorite customer these days. Elliana had little money, but she had worked out a deal with the store last year. They would send her copies of any new books, and she would read them. Then, Elliana would write an article promoting (she hardly ever disliked a book) the volume. Flourish and Blotts would publish these articles in their magazine, _The Bookshelf_. If the article did as it was intended and promoted sales, Flourish and Blotts would give Elliana points towards any book she chose. Also, Elliana would buy books with whatever money she did have. Conner Darley was relatively wealthy, and he would buy her school things and give her pocket money.

Elliana got out of bed and got dressed, silently turning over her plan in her head. She had found a bit about true Seers in _Unfogging the Future_, but most of the text was worth a Heating Spell in summer. It was a teaching guide, according to the bock jacket. Somehow, Elliana thought that the only thing that that book could teach was proper con-artistry.

"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?" Kristin's voice chirped as Elliana walked into the kitchen. Kristin was at the stove cooking eggs and…vegetarian sausage, it seemed by the smell. Elliana didn't mind eating vegetarian. She didn't dwell much on what she ate. However, Elliana had found that she couldn't resist fresh fruit. It was odd that Elliana would like such a frivolous, cheerful food- but she did. Oranges were her favorite.

"Yes." Elliana said, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl. She frowned at the lack of oranges, but shrugged it off. Kristin brought the food to the small table in front of a picture window and sat down. Elliana served herself some eggs while Kristin helped herself to the sausage.

"That's good. I have to go to the shop today, so you'll have the house to yourself." Kristin and her husband ran a fairly large jewelry store in the center of Dublin. Elliana nodded and continued to eat in silence. The house to herself? Good. She might be able to get some studying done. "Maybe you could go for a walk later. You haven't been getting out much." Kristin suggested, taking Elliana's empty plate to the sink and then coming to sit back down.

"Okay." Elliana said. She might go for a walk, just to please Kristin, but not anytime soon. She wanted the better part of the morning to read her books. Then she could partake in these formalities. Elliana gave Kristin a smile and stood up, walking from the kitchen. "Have a good day at work!" Elliana called before she shut the door to her room.

True to her plans, Elliana spent all morning reading over any books she had that fit the subject material. Then, she checked over books of curses and hexes, just to be sure there was no malicious intent involved. Elliana was fixing herself a sandwich for lunch when the doorbell rang. Slightly annoyed at an unexpected arrival, Elliana walked to the door. Through the peephole, she saw a girl smiling. Elliana opened the door.

"Yes?" She asked, masking her impatience. The girl looked to be about Elliana's age, or maybe a little older. She had brown hair that fell a little past her shoulders and greenish blue eyes. Elliana looked her over carefully- she didn't seem to mean any harm.

"Hi!" The girl said. "My family just moved in down the street and I wanted to get to know the neighborhood. My name is Brooke." Brooke smiled and held out a hand. Elliana raised an eyebrow and Brooke withdrew her hand sadly.

"Hello, Brooke." Elliana said icily.

"Well, that was it…I just wanted to meet some new people. I'll be going to Hogwarts in the fall and I just-" Brooke babbled on until Elliana put up a hand.

"Did you say Hogwarts?" Elliana asked.

"Oh my gosh…you aren't a muggle, are you? Because if you're a muggle and I just said that…and oh my gosh…I just keep talking and I'm probably…oh my gosh." Brooke stuttered.

"I'm not a muggle."

"Oh, that's good. Gosh, I could have gotten in so much trouble with the Ministry for breaking the codes of secrecy with muggles and then my mom might get fired and I just don't know what I would have done. I mean, we just moved to Ireland and it would be awful if I screwed that up within our first week here. I'm so glad you aren't a muggle." Brooke took a deep breath, and Elliana interjected in her pause.

"Where are you from, then?" Elliana asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Originally, and I mean a loooong time ago, my family is from Wales. But, I was born in France. I don't have an accent because we moved to Sweden before I was two. Then, my father got put on watch for the Dark Arts in Germany. That didn't last long…I don't know why. I guess Daddy got tired of it. Mom got a job with the Norwegian Ministry of Magic and we stayed in Norway until last month. We moved to England while she was adapting to her job, but Daddy's allergic to something there so we moved here and Mom floos." Brooke smiled happily. "I'm so glad we moved to Ireland. It's such a pretty country. I've heard that New Zealand is the prettiest place on earth, but I don't see how it can be. Ireland is just breathtaking!"

"Norway, then?" Elliana asked.

"What?" Brooke asked, caught in her own reverie. "Oh yes, that. Well, we lived there the longest so I suppose that, yes, that's where I'm from. I don't really remember the other places all that well. You don't remember things from your younger years, you know. All you remember is random pictures. Hardly ever words that people say to you. Have you ever noticed that?" Brooke asked. Elliana nodded.

"Quite. Would you like something to eat?" Elliana motioned inside.

"Gosh, I feel so rude. I mean, I just came over here to introduce myself and here I am eating your food. Well, not really. I haven't technically eaten anything yet. But here I am, walking into a stranger's house. My! Is that a Monet?" Brooke stopped to admire a painting that hung in the entry hall.

"Sisley."

"It looks unbelievably like a Monet. My mother took me to an art exhibit in England before I came here and I saw a lot of work by Monet. You know the Louvre in France doesn't even have possession of a lot of the impressionistic works? They're mostly in a building across the way." Brooke peered closely at the painting.

"It was after he met Monet. They might have collaborated." Elliana said in amusement. She led Brooke to the kitchen and quickly made the girl a sandwich. Brooke began talking about her love, music. Elliana brought the plates to the table and listened to Brooke.

"I play the violin and the piano." Brooke said. "My mother says that the piano isn't a real instrument. She says the music practically creates itself and it doesn't take as much skill as other instruments. Of course, I told her that you can mess up a lot on a piano piece. It takes a lot of skill to move your hands across that distance. It takes a lot more coordination than violin. Of course, violin's really quite difficult as well. It was awful during my first two years playing. My mother wouldn't let me play in the house. I had to practice in the garage or at school." Brooke said sadly. "I don't think I ever quite got over that." She added as an afterthought. Elliana smiled in amusement behind her sandwich and nodded.

"It's hard to pull yourself through things like that." Elliana said, half-sarcastically. Brooke nodded in agreement.

"Tell me about it. Sometimes I think my mother holds me back. I could have been a great violinist, but those first few years were hard. Not a lot of support around my place. Everyone's into doing their own thing. Do you ever feel like that…oh my gosh! I am so horribly rude! Here I am babbling on and on and I never even asked your name! My father always complains that I have no social grace, and I suppose that's right. I'm sure if we had stayed in Norway they would have put me in Etiquette School. What is your name?" Brooke looked with interest at Elliana.

"Elliana." Elliana said, laughing softly. Brooke nodded as though that was enough for her and continued.

"Oh yes. That's a lovely name. Sounds like the name of an artist or a dancer. They always have such pretty names. Stage names, I suppose. You're lucky you have a pretty name to begin with. El-lee-ahn-na." Brooke sounded it out. "My name is so horribly boring. It's only one syllable as well. Brooke. Not Helena. I always wanted my name to be Helena. It's such a beautiful name. Of course in the play she's quite whiny." Brooke laughed and finished her sandwich.

"You've read Shakespeare?" Elliana asked, with mild interest. Brooke nodded.

"Oh yes. I love his plays. He was a Squib, you know. The wizarding world sort of shunned him- he was quite egotistical- and he wrote plays for muggles. A Midsummer Night's Dream…completely true. Boy was Titania mad when she heard that Shakespeare made her fall in love with an ass…that part was made up. She merely fell in love with Nick Bottom as he was- and that was bad enough, mind you. It was all twisted up for a long time…and oh, why am I telling you? Of course you know already." Brooke took her plate to the sink and returned.

"No…I didn't know that." Elliana let Brooke stay for an hour more before telling the girl that she had to clean the house. Elliana found Brooke's stories interesting, and liked the fact that she didn't have to do much talking. Brooke didn't ask any questions that Elliana would have felt annoyed with. In fact, Elliana had had a bit of fun that afternoon. Brooke said her goodbyes and promised to visit Elliana some time later that week.

On Friday of that week, Elliana had found a huge lead, or so she thought. She figured that anything that mentioned true Seeing had to be worth following up. Elliana wrote down all the source titles, and put down her quill. She read over the article again.

There is a type of Seeing that is completely involuntary. These Seers are often struck with violent visions, leaving them dizzy or ill afterwards. In some northern parts of Europe, these visions are thought to be a symptom of madness. Although these visions do not truly cause madness, the accompanying nightmares drive some insane.

Elliana closed the book and sighed. She wasn't hungry, but she had skipped breakfast to study. Turning off her lamp, Elliana walked downstairs. She got a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table, humming to herself until the doorbell rang. Elliana had been expecting Brooke some time today. The girl had promised to be back before the week was through, and the week was rapidly ending.

"Elliana! Hi! Oh my gosh, you'll never ever guess where I went yesterday. I'm so excited!" Brooke was holding a large stack of volumes that Elliana recognized as textbooks. Elliana smirked.

"Judging by your cargo, I'd say Diagon Alley." Elliana said, motioning Brooke in. The girl complied happily, practically bouncing inside. Of course, Brooke stopped to look at the Sisley, and then made her way through the kitchen and to the table.

"No, before that silly! We had to go to Diagon Alley afterwards to pick up my things for Hogwarts. I start in the fall, I told you." Brooke set her books down and started writing her name in the inside covers of each. Elliana had Brooke pegged for the bookplate type, but she was proven wrong.

"Where did you go?" Elliana asked.

"Hogwarts! We Flooed to Hogsmeade and then walked up to the school. It was amazing, let me tell you. I've never seen such a beautiful castle. It's Unplottable, you know. The Ministry of Magic is like that too. My mother had an awful time finding it the first day we got to England. Hogwarts was extraordinary! And I got to meet the new Headmaster- Dumblywindow or something." Brooke cursed under her breath as she realized she had just written 'Dumblywindow' in her Advanced Transfiguration book.

"Dumbledore." Elliana said, handing her an enchanted ink-eraser. Brooke took it gratefully and nodded.

"Quite. He's a funny old man, let me tell you. His office is absolutely insane…you'd never believe all of the things he has in there. His most prized possession, it would seem, is this stupid tattered old bowler or something." Brooke rubbed at the ink.

"The Sorting Hat?" Elliana said, slightly amused.

"Oh…yeah, that. I'm not quite I understand the purpose of having an old hat sitting on a shelf, but whatever. Does he have all of his Bertie Botts?" Brooke tapped her head with a forefinger.

"Yes, he's the smartest wizard there is." Elliana said.

"Quite, but they can still be a little funny up there. It seems to me that he's far too nice to be a Headmaster. Wouldn't you think they'd have to be strict and such? I don't know…he was nice enough. Gave me a lemon drop. Fond of them, I think. And then, Elliana- he had a phoenix! A real live phoenix…I suppose it's the only one in the world. Imagine owning the only phoenix in the world!" Brooke's eyes widened happily.

"A phoenix?"

"Yes! It wouldn't come near me, of course. I hate flying things. I suppose it could sense that or something. But it was still an extraordinary experience- being able to see a real phoenix. I don't suppose that will ever happen again unless I get in trouble at school or some such thing. What do you think?" Brooke had finished labeling her books and propped her chin on top of them, watching Elliana.

"You don't seem the type to get in trouble." Elliana said, quite truthfully.

"Yes, but I talk an awful lot. I have a hard time focusing in boring classes because I'd much rather be talking to my friends and the like. If it's an interesting class, I ask lots of questions. I want to know everything. My father says that that's an unattainable goal, but I really am working for it. My mother says I just like to hear myself talk. That's not true at all, you see. I hate my voice. It's so incredibly boring. I had voice lessons once, and my teacher lectured my about enunciating and speaking clearly. She said that if I was going to talk, I might as well do it properly. Also, she lectured about something called 'fricatives' which I still fail to understand." Brooke sighed and tapped her fingers on the stack of books.

"Fricatives are the sounds-" Elliana started.

"I know what they _are_. I just fail to see why they're important. Of course, in musicals you have to enunciate everything…I don't see how muggles are so fascinated with musicals. People just don't break out into song…it's totally unrealistic. Have you ever seen a muggle musical, Elliana?" Brooke flowed between subjects like people through the Chunnel. Elliana nodded.

"Only once. Mr. Darley took me to see it." Elliana answered.

"I've seen a couple. I don't find them very entertaining." Brooke shrugged. "I prefer to listen to orchestras and such. Of course I would, though. Right? I mean, I play violin and such and it only seems appropriate that I would like to listen to violins." Brooke smiled happily.

"There are other instruments besides violins." Elliana pointed out.

"Of course there are, but violins are the most important. Mother agrees with me on this. I've heard some great violinists. I've never seen a dance, though. You know…a ballet. I've never been to one. I bet you've been to loads. You've probably been in a few, too." Brooke winked.

"No."

"Do you do anything special? Father says that everyone does something special. I personally don't think I do anything special, but that's all right. Everyone plays the piano, it seems. I'd like to think I'm decent at it, though. I like the classical stuff. It isn't very easy, but it's very nice on the ears. Unless, of course, the person playing is utterly horrible. Do you think I'm utterly horrible, Elliana?" Brooke looked very concerned at this question and Elliana felt very powerful.

"I've never heard you play, Brooke." Elliana said factually.

"Oh. Right. Gosh, I feel like I've known you forever. Usually, I don't just talk like this to people. I mean, I'm not shy or anything- Heavens no. But I usually at least wait a while before I talk so much. It's only fair, you know. But you're so easy to talk to, Elliana." Brooke patted Elliana on the shoulder.

"I feel so blessed." Elliana said, smirking. Brooke laughed.

"You're so amusing. Sometimes I feel like I don't understand sarcasm, but I really do. It's not always meant to be mean, you know. Between friends, it's like a joke. What you just said- that was a joke. See? And I understood. I have to laugh at some people. You know the sort, of course. The types that don't get a joke until five or six minutes later. Those sorts amuse me. That's why, if you don't understand a joke, you laugh anyway and pretend like you do. What do you do, by the way?" Brooke asked.

"I dance."

"Oh! I'm horrible with that, of course. Mother says I ask too many questions and then don't wait around for an answer. I do wait, of course. I always come back to the question, at least. Sort of like going through a buffet. You know everything is good, so you can only take some stuff on the first go. You have to come back to the rest later." Brooke shrugged happily.

"I understand." Elliana said.

"Well, I really came so that you could explain our assignments to me. I got all my homework, of course. I just need an overview to catch me up. People say I'm an awfully fast learner, and I probably know most of it anyway. I read through some of the books last night, but I'm afraid I got stuck on the Potions bit. Could you help me with that?" Brooke handed Elliana the Potions book.

"Sure."

The next two hours were amusing in their own way. Elliana found that, yes, Brooke was an extremely fast learner. She also found why Brooke would ever get in trouble- she couldn't stop talking long enough to have a question answered. Although Brooke was like a buffet, Elliana figured that it would get annoying to some of her Professors. Professor Grimer, the Potions Master, in particular.

After Elliana had Brooke thoroughly caught up, Brooke bid her farewells and hurried home. Her mother would be getting home soon. Elliana closed the door behind the girl and sighed. She found that she had had fun that afternoon, even though she was now exhausted. Listening to Brooke was fast-paced. However, Elliana had learned that Brooke was going to be a fifth year- just like herself. Elliana didn't think that Brooke would be a Slytherin. Brooke didn't strike her as the cunning, ambitious type. Brooke talked as much as a Gryffindor, was smart like a Ravenclaw, and worked hard like a Hufflepuff. Elliana wondered where that tattered old "bowler" would place the girl.

The summer passed by quickly, now that Elliana had Brooke to listen to. Elliana found herself more and more involved in the conversations, and this surprised her. She had never talked much, but yet she was talking now. Her words were no where close to comparing with Brooke's, but the were there. Elliana was so exhausted at night that she couldn't avoid sleep. The nightmares haunted her yet, but they faded with the morning sun.

Elliana and Brooke worked on their homework on Friday afternoons. It became sort of a tradition. Brooke came over some other afternoons as well, but she left her textbooks at home. One day, Brooke brought Elliana a novel to read. Brooke raved about the novel for quite a while…she had apparently just finished it. Elliana started reading it as soon as Brooke left that afternoon and stayed up all night to finish it. Brooke was right, it was a good book. On Brooke's next visit, Elliana gave her a book to read- her own favorite novel.

After much thought, Elliana decided that Brooke was a friend. Brooke never asked questions, even as Elliana began to talk more. Elliana continued with her search, but her progress was slowing down. She needed the Hogwarts library. Elliana was counting down the days until school, and it was already half-way through August. Elliana smiled to herself. She'd be fifteen soon. Her birthday was fast approaching. Kristin asked her often when her birthday was, but she never told. Elliana didn't want to tell anyone any more than she absolutely had to.

Elliana woke up one morning to silence, and it frightened her. She looked out her window and found that a storm was rising. It was her birthday, and Fate had decreed it would rain. Elliana groaned and hurried downstairs. She was hungry, and she wanted to be with someone in the storm. Even though she would say nothing to them about her fears, it was a comfort to hear another voice.

"Kristin?" Elliana called, looking through the empty house. Her heart raced as the rain started. Everything bad had always been accompanied by rain. It was raining now, and she couldn't find Kristin anywhere. Finally, Elliana opened the door to the dining room.

"SURPRISE!"

Elliana leapt backwards in shock. Standing in front of her was a relatively large swarm of people. Mr. Darley, Kristin, Brooke, Kristin's husband whom Elliana rarely saw, two people whom she assumed were Brooke's parents, and an owl. Elliana blinked and looked around.

"Oh my…"

"Elliana!" Brooke said, running forward and hugging her quickly. Before Elliana could object, Brooke started talking. "You never told me it was your birthday, silly! I asked Mr. Darley and he said he didn't know! I had to go look up an Age-Defining charm and figure out how old you were. Silly bean, I never would have thought you wouldn't have told anyone!" Brooke bounced up and down, obviously the brains behind the operation. Elliana smiled slightly. It was a sweet gesture, even though it had scared her something awful.

"Thanks, Brooke. Thanks, everyone." Elliana said, putting on her happy façade again. It felt less of a façade today than usual. Elliana stepped forward and looked around. People she knew…people she didn't. And a pile of gifts on the table. Elliana blinked. She had gotten very few gifts in her life. Kristin usually sent her books that she asked for, and Mr. Darley sent her money. Not many people had ever taken the time to pick things out for her. And not all of the gifts looked like books.

"Elliana, come open your gifts!" Kristin said, smiling. "And then we can have cake." Brooke's mother had made a cake, apparently. Elliana smiled and sat down. She wasn't quite sure to act, but she figured that it would involve a lot of smiles, feigned happiness, and 'thank-yous'.

Brooke sat down beside Elliana and handed her the first gift. Elliana turned it over in her hand. The wrapping was a very pretty shimmery blue paper. Not wanting to rip it, Elliana pulled off the tape gently. Inside was a plain white box. She opened the lid and inside sat two beautiful combs for her hair. Each one was delicately painted with the ocean waves. The waves had been enchanted to crash and reform. Elliana smiled at Kristin.

"Thank you so much…these are gorgeous." Elliana set them aside and folded the paper. She wanted to save it. It was silly, but she didn't want to throw anything away. The next gift was from Brooke's mother. It was a small snow-globe with a tiny ballerina spinning inside. The ballerina went through a slow, graceful dance to a classical tune. Brooke named it, but Elliana wasn't paying much attention.

"Brooke told me that you danced." Brooke's mother said. "I hope you like it."

"I do! It's so beautiful." Elliana said, watching the ballerina carefully.

Elliana was completely overwhelmed by the kindness these people had shown her. She had never really let any of them know her, and they were eager to show her love anyway. Elliana took all of her gifts up to her room at the end of the day and wrote down everyone's name. She would be sure to be nice to them. And send them cookies from Honeydukes at Christmas.

Her favorite gift from the day had been a book, ironically. Brooke had gotten her a leather-bound copy of _The Complete Works of Shakespeare_. Also included in this was his plays mocking the goblin rebellions and other wizarding events. Elliana managed to read _Othello _and _The Merry Wives of Windsor_ before she went back to Hogwarts.


	3. Riddles and Games

Part Three: Riddles and Games

_It's a long road  
When you face the world alone  
No one reaches out a hand  
For you to hold - You can find love  
If you search within yourself  
And the emptiness you felt  
Will disappear._

Elliana sat in her dorm, reading Hamlet. The leather-bound book received numerous protective enchantments as soon as Elliana reached Hogwarts- Anti-tearing Spells, Anti-theft Charms, Waterproofing Spells, and insurance against any kind of damage one could imagine. Elliana valued that book, and she didn't want any harm to come to it.

Brooke had been sorted into Slytherin, much to Elliana's surprise. But then, it seemed to make sense. Brooke's incessant babbling would not have been compatible with the quiet of the library- Ravenclaw had not been an option. Brooke was smart, and she would not have done well surrounded by people who were set on pleasing others rather than gaining knowledge and power. Hufflepuff was out. Elliana would have placed Brooke in Gryffindor left with the choice. Somehow, the Sorting Hat didn't. Elliana figured that the Sorting Hat could put some metaphysical meaning out of its placement.

So, Elliana had surprised everyone, it seemed. She didn't tell Brooke to shut it- she actually defended the girl once or twice. She never ignored her to study instead. Elliana had made a conscious decision to keep Brooke as a friend. Brooke didn't annoy her, strangely enough. Elliana finally had someone to sit with at meals and classes. It was a new experience.

"Elliana!" Brooke said as she opened the door to the dorm. "There you are! Alison told me that you went to the library. The only people in the library were a mass of Ravenclaws. I think they're starting a cult or something." Brooke laughed and flopped on her bed. It had been placed across from Elliana's; next to Natalie's.

"Someone lost them quite a few house points. I think they're trying to figure out how to recover." Elliana said, putting down the book and stretching. She tied her hair back and leaned back on her pillows.

"Oh yes…that party last weekend or something. That was crazy. After curfew, in Hogsmeade, and with Fire whiskey. Can you believe that? I bet they're planning extra studying and tutoring of all the first-years so that everyone can gain points in classes." Brooke hugged her tattered, much-loved stuffed Kneazle.

"Most likely. Do you have the Astronomy charts from last week, Brooke?" Elliana asked, digging out her own charts. She hadn't been feeling well, and her vision had been a bit clouded. This morning, she had discovered that the Big Dipper was at least 50,000 miles away from where it should have been.

"Yeah, here." Brooke said, throwing Elliana a roll of parchment. "That was a dreary lesson Sinistra gave us. You'd think she'd want to keep our attention at midnight. Wouldn't want us dozing off or some such thing. Instead, she didn't teach us anything new at all. Just reviewed angles and asteroid equations. I hope it's more interesting tonight." Brooke sighed.

"I know. Just think…Halloween is Friday. We don't have classes." Elliana looked up from her charts and smirked. "Too bad we miss Transfiguration…you are the most amusing person when David's in the room."

"Oh, be quiet!" Brooke exclaimed, throwing the Kneazle at Elliana. "He's not involved in the cult thing at all. I didn't see him there. Besides, I am not amusing."

"You looked, did you? I thought you were checking on me. And yes, you are amusing." Elliana threw the Kneazle (its name was Bradford) back and finished up her star chart.

"You weren't there…and I was. And when I established that David wasn't, I ceased to be as well." Brooke stuck out her tongue.

"You're such a parrot."

"What?"

"Nevermind."

"See? I swear…you have the worst train of thought. You don't talk much at all, and so it's very difficult to follow what you're thinking. You just come up with these things, and it's weird. You scare me sometimes, Stormborne." Brooke turned over on her back and sighed. "He likes Alison."

"Who?"

"David!"

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"So what does it matter?" Elliana asked, blinking. "He's entitled to like whomever he wishes."

"But I like him!" Brooke whined, rolling over on her stomach and propping her chin up on her hands. "He can't like Alison. Alison's too ruffly."

"Only you could make 'ruffle' into an adjective."

"Elliana! Focus on the problem." Brooke said.

"There is no problem. He likes Alison. So what? You like him, I get that. I don't know why, but I know that you do. There are more important things, Brooke." Elliana had had this discussion before, but it kept returning.

"Like school?"

"Yes, like school. Besides, there's too many hormones running rampant already. You don't have to add to the idealistic adoration of random people." Elliana picked at her comforter.

"David is not a random person."

"Whatever you say, Brooke. Whatever you say."

The fire in the eyes of the Jack-O-Lantern flared up and taunted the girl. There was fire all around her, and no way out. A man in front of her laughed, and raised a hand. A dozen cloaked figures circled in front of the flames, ever round the girl. Their shadows danced on the hard stone floor. The girl stood tall, but not for long. The man raised his wand and had her on her knees, rolling over in pain. Her screams shattered the Jack-O-Lantern and the fire spread rapidly. The girl looked up and saw a demon in front of her. Surely a demon, thirsting for her soul. Surely a demon…

Elliana awoke with a short scream. She shook the vision from her head. She hated the nightmares. Hated them…they never made any sense. Elliana had been pouring over the volumes in the library since she had arrived back, but nothing was to be found. She needed to learn to fight this soon, or she would drive herself mad. As of now, she was concocting potions to keep dreams away. The nightmares faded, but they would never be gone.

Elliana slipped on a bathrobe and went downstairs, hoping to find solace in the dying embers of the fire. Instead, she saw a figure huddled in front of them. As Elliana turned around, the girl heard her. Elliana turned back to see that it was Brooke. In the light of the fire, her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Brooke?" Elliana said, hurrying over to her friend. "What happened?"

"It's Halloween…" Brooke said softly. "It's Halloween…."

"Yes, it's Halloween." Elliana agreed.

"I had a nightmare…my sister was in it." Brooke fell silent. Elliana cautiously sat down next to her friend and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. Elliana couldn't find the words, so she remained silent as well. "She was hurt."

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"I did. She died…three years ago. Someone put her under a curse." Brooke's tears flowed freely. "She died in the hospital. On Halloween…it all happened on Halloween…It's all so horrid." Elliana nodded.

"Nightmares are."

"But it wasn't like a nightmare…it was what had happened…what did happen before she died. They wanted information that she couldn't give them. My family tried to keep her safe, but she wanted to be independent. Oh god…we were protected by a Fidelius Charm…she wouldn't come with us. And it's all my fault…it's all my fault. My family was suddenly targeted and it was all my fault…It was always my fault…I talk too much…all because I talk too much." Brooke cried and bit her lip. "I was bragging to a friend…at least, I thought they were a friend. I told them my mother could do some things that she really couldn't do. The friend was bad…I found that out. The friend had bad parents, and she told them what I had said. My family was targeted…and oh god…my sister wouldn't come with us…you can't force a person to hide or the Charm doesn't work…and oh god…they just…I hate Halloween." Brooke sobbed quietly for a while and Elliana stayed silent-staring at the flames. She could relate, more than ever, to Brooke. Brooke had been responsible for a death. Elliana had been responsible for three.

A ball had been planned for the night of Halloween. Elliana was going, but only to make sure that Brooke didn't have too much butterbeer or drool over David too much. The girls of Hogwarts were in a frenzy, and Elliana happily was not part of this. Instead, she waited until the last few minutes before the feast to change into her dress robes. They were sea green to match her eyes, and swept across the front in a fluid motion. The sleeves were long and floaty, much like the dress she had worn to the ballet. Elliana braided her hair and walked to the common room.

Brooke had not cried or shown any signs of being upset since early that morning. Elliana supposed that Brooke was a very controlled person, and this outburst had been a one-time thing. Elliana avoided the ever-so-jumpy crowd of teenage girls that clumped by the stairs. She made her way to Brooke.

"And so, Halloween really has nothing to do with pumpkins at all. Pumpkins just make it look better, I suppose. It'd have the very same meaning if I danced around with an ear of corn in my hand." Brooke was chatting happily with a second-year girl. She spotted Elliana and motioned her over. "Elliana, what do you think of bananas?"

"Excuse me?" Elliana asked.

"Well, here's my thought. The house elves always send up fruit to the tables in the morning for breakfast. They never ever send up bananas, though. It makes me sad. I think we need to protest or something." Brooke raised her fist. "It's only fair that we have bananas."

"Brooke, how many chocolate frogs have you had today?"

"Sixteen and a half." Brooke answered, unfazed. She turned back to the second year and began making plans for a Banana Revolution. Elliana shook her head and began her walk to the Great Hall.

Usually, there was a Christmas Ball and a Halloween Feast. There had not been a Halloween Ball for many many years. However, dark times were ahead, and most parents wanted their children home for Christmas. Elliana personally had no preference; seeing as how she didn't like balls anyway.

The Feast passed quickly, as it always did. Elliana spotted bananas at the Gryffindor table, but she didn't tell Brooke. Maybe the house elves figured that Slytherins weren't cheerful enough to eat bananas. Elliana had just finished a piece of chocolate cake when the tables cleared and moved to the side.

The candles dimmed and music rose softly from nowhere. The Head Boy and Girl would open the ball. Elliana noted that the Slytherin table was dark against the wall. Good. She walked over to it and sat, keeping an eye on David and another on Brooke. She winced when others joined the dance and David asked Alison first. Alas, Brooke had been right. Although Elliana didn't see why it mattered so much, she still felt badly for her friend.

After the slow song, two upbeat tunes played. One was from a popular wizarding band, The Purple Doxies, and the other song was by a muggle band. Elliana laughed silently at the amusement on the dance floor. Most of the older students had gotten to the point of purely showing off, and they danced with total disregard for the beat of the music. Elliana smiled slightly as one particularly rowdy seventh year boy was told to tune it down a bit by the Potions Master. Another slow song started, and people paired off quickly.

"Stormborne." Elliana turned at the sound of her name and groaned as she saw Wynton Ashwinder. She frowned and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you weren't going to talk to me again. Ever." Elliana turned her eyes back to the dance floor.

"I believe in second chances. Dance with me." Wynton stepped in front of her and blocked her view of the dancing. "Come on. I'm trying to be nice to you."

"I don't need pity."

"It isn't pity."

"It is."

"Just dance with me, damn it!" Wynton said, losing his temper. Elliana jumped back; startled. She looked past him at the dance floor and then looked at him. "And don't tell me you can't dance. I know it's a lie."

"Fine." Elliana said with surprising calm, hopping down from the table. Wynton nodded and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

"I would have thought you'd be in the library." Wynton said once they'd started dancing. Elliana decided to ignore the comment and made a mental note to keep her temper at bay. "You don't seem the type for these social events."

"I'm here."

"Yes, you are." Wynton laughed quietly. "I will never understand you, it seems. But I wish you'd let me try. I'm glad, though, that you found a friend." Wynton said this with a small amount of malice and he glanced towards Brooke.

"How very chivalrous of you." Elliana said sarcastically. Wynton looked wounded.

"I wouldn't think of it." He whispered. "Chivalry is for Gryffindors."

"Maybe you were misplaced. You're so in touch with your emotions and so nosy about mine. Go away. Or maybe I have the find the key. What is your key, Ashwinder?" Elliana growled at him as the song ended and began to walk back to her place in the shadows. Wynton followed her, though.

"Let's get something straight right now, Stormborne. I wouldn't care less if you were all moody and depressed if you were, say, a Hufflepuff. I wouldn't care if you secluded yourself then. But basically, your attitude looks bad to everyone. It already kept you from getting Prefect this year. I was there when they were selecting them, Stormborne. 'Oh dear, Ms. Stormborne-'" Wynton put on a high, mocking voice. "'She's such a good example in the classroom, but she's so withdrawn.' Teacher talk for a bad attitude, Stormborne. That's all it is. You have a friend- that's great- but you still keep away from everyone else. It looks bad. Slytherin hasn't had a Head Boy or Head Girl in eighteen years. You're the prospect. If you don't get your act together, you'll pass without a second glance. Get off your shadowed pedestal and see what's out there." Wynton crossed his arms, waiting for her to say something. Elliana sat, shocked. She didn't show the surprise- but it was there. Elliana had had no idea that everyone had looked to her for this sort of thing. Of course, she knew that her attitude had affected her Prefectness, but she never had dreamed that she had a chance at Head Girl.

It had never seemed important. But, now that Ashwinder had brought it to her attention, she had no choice but to reach for it. It was power- and she wanted it. She wanted it badly- just because it was there. Elliana didn't dare voice this, but she knew that Wynton would see the ambition rise from its dormancy.

"Stormborne, say something." Wynton said, sitting next to her. She ignored him for a moment, turning things over in her head. How could she change this? Elliana didn't want a slew of friends…that wasn't her type. She was perfectly happy with Brooke to talk to. Elliana didn't think she was up to this challenge.

"What would you have me say?" Elliana turned to Wynton and looked at him quizzically. She would have to accept the hand of friendship, it seemed. She winced at the thought. He irked her. "I will not stand to care about what people think."

"You will."

"What, then?"

"Tell me I'm a jackass and send me away. I don't know."

"You are a jackass."

"And?"

"You can stay. I want to know more." Elliana listened as he explained that Professor Grimer needed a tutor for two third year Potion students. Wynton had been asked, he explained, but he had to spend his extra hours studying Charms- his worst class. Wynton said that that might be a good start for her. Grimer would see that she was anxious to help her fellow school-mates. Elliana would not have called herself anxious, but she'd be stupid to let Head Girl pass her by.

Elliana began tutoring the third years the next week. It was as horrid as she had imagined, and maybe worse. It was as though Wynton Ashwinder had bestowed this punishment upon her, and it sickened her that she had been unprepared. The third year Ravenclaw girl was snotty and obnoxious. She was smart, and she knew it. But she didn't care to work. The Hufflepuff boy was kind to Elliana, but completely daft. He never seemed to hear anything that she told him. Directions went unfollowed- steps skipped. Elliana hated the tutoring.

Also, Elliana made a life-altering decision. Well, maybe it wasn't anything life-altering, but it definitely was a decision. She would never ever become a professor. She couldn't stand all of the questions. For her own sake, though, she kept her vexation to herself. Elliana only had to tutor until Christmas.

After one particularly long night in the library, Elliana collapsed on her bed. She sighed and opened the window without moving from her flopped position. The cold air was a nice wash to her exhaustion. Her roommates were out doing various activities that didn't involve her. Natalie was at a Quidditch practice. Alison dated at least three new guys a week- and it was Friday. Number two. Elliana knew where Brooke was as well- helping David with his Herbology. Herbology was Brooke's best subject, and David had discovered this. David was horrible in Herbology, and took full advantage of Brooke's swooning over him. Brooke had promised to tutor him on Thursday and Friday nights. Elliana laughed to herself. The Fridays had been Brooke's idea. Fridays made it seem like a date, Elliana supposed. She sat up and looked around for her Transfiguration book…she had an essay to finish.

A knock at her door broke her concentration during a particularly grueling Switching Spell. Elliana slammed her book shut and pointed her wand at the door. In walked Wynton Ashwinder. Elliana covered her head with a pillow.

"Don't you ever learn?" Elliana asked from under the pillow.

"Learn what?" Wynton asked.

"You're like an evil Ministry spy or something…I don't know. You remind me of a sidekick in a romance novel- foolishly naïve and always showing up where he isn't wanted. It's sickening. You're like a Jobberknoll…following people around. Why are you so clingy? I danced with you once!" Elliana threw a pillow at him. Wynton stood, looking amused.

"You think very highly of yourself, don't you?" Wynton asked, smirking. Elliana blinked.

"Sometimes."

"I came to return your Charms notes." Wynton said pointedly, handing her a roll of parchment. Elliana took it and looked the notes over.

"I don't remember letting you borrowing these." Elliana said distantly.

"You didn't. I took them a while back while you were tutoring the third years." Wynton picked up Brooke's kneazle and frowned. It was spouting stuffing, and looking extremely forlorn.

"Oh. Well, I guess me yelling at you wasn't totally offbeat, then. It had the potential to be an embarrassing situation, but yes…you stole my notes while I was going through Hell helping younger students at your suggestion. You're a jerk." Elliana rolled her eyes. "Get out of my room. You returned the notes, and I see no reason for us to continue this rambling bit of small talk. Leave. Now."

"You're impossible."

"OUT!"

December neared and Elliana was overloaded with study schedules and inquiries for tutoring. The word of her good deed had spread, and it was quite annoying. Elliana lost her control and hexed a fourth year that followed her for a whole day. Elliana had become snappish with everyone. She was not afraid to hex those who vexed her. Ignoring them completely, she would dive into her search for information about her visions. The nightmares had hit with surprising force lately, and Elliana wanted to know how to stop it.

One night, Elliana found a charm mentioned in a book from the Restricted Section. She had stumbled upon it when looking for information for an Advanced Charms essay. It was a charm that made one have full control over what they dreamed. There was only one problem. It involved some Dark Magic. Elliana had never done Dark Magic, but this was worth it. She couldn't do it in the school, though. There were censors for that sort of thing. She'd have to do it in Hogsmeade.

The spell, called the Sominarius Charm, required a Sleeping Drought to be taken under a full moon with an incantation to follow. Elliana copied down the incantation and closed the book, putting it back on the shelf. She hurried to the Common Room to find out when the next Hogsmeade day was.

Isn't it ironic? Time has this way of making a mockery of you. Elliana found that the next Hogsmeade day was in January- and not on a full moon. She'd have to wait until March for the two events to coincide, but the dreams would be under her control forever. Elliana walked up to her dorm and opened the door to find Brooke looking through her books.

"Brooke?" Elliana asked, shutting the door behind her. She looked questioningly at the girl as she turned, red-handed. A look of guilt passed over Brooke's face and she averted her eyes. "Brooke, why were you going through my things?"

"I wasn't going through your things…not really." Brooke sighed, seemingly wishing to be anywhere but the room. Elliana strode over to Brooke and searched her face for an answer. Elliana's privacy hadn't truly been invaded since long ago. But now…this was unbelievable. Yet here it was, happening.

"You were. I want an explanation before I curse you to Doomsday!" Elliana said angrily. Brooke looked taken aback. She backed up, but Elliana followed threateningly. Elliana had never gone so far as to yell at Brooke. What had set her over the edge, Brooke wondered.

"Elliana…I…you've been screaming in your sleep…We're all worried about you…" Brooke stuttered, which only happened in supreme cases of nervousness. "I was looking to see if you kept a journal or…"

"You would have read my journal?" Elliana asked icily.

"Only to see what it was…we want to help you." Brooke seemed confused as to why this was a big deal. She hadn't done anything, really. "We're your friends, Elliana."

"I see. And you would have read my journal to gain information that you didn't have courage enough to ask me for. I see now why you weren't put in Gryffindor." Elliana countered, glaring at Brooke.

"Elliana! Stop! This isn't about houses or character traits or stupid things like that. This is about your well-being. You're being ignorant by keeping this from us. From me. I'm your friend, Elliana. I only want to help you!" Brooke shook Elliana hard. Elliana pushed Brooke away and watched as the girl stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. Brooke looked more hurt than Elliana had ever seen her.

"Do you want my secrets, Brooke? Is that it?" Elliana asked maliciously. She reached under her pillow and retrieved a blue, leather-bound book. Elliana threw it at Brooke, hitting her squarely in the cheek, and stalked from the room.

Brooke yawned and turned another page. She had been reading the journal for at least three hours now, having skipped dinner. The words seemed to keep on coming, the pages enchanted to be endless. Brooke had found very little- Elliana wrote in a cryptic sort of style. All of her writing was full of riddles and endless metaphors. Elliana spoke of "nightmares," but the information bore little substance. Until:

This thing that has haunted me since I was young…this shadow in the night. It's calling to me to try and vanquish it. Truly, I know that I cannot. But I have to try. I am sick of seeing things that are not real, but will be or have been. It is eerie that I am 'blessed' with this Sight. I want to know nothing…and yet, it teases me still. I can tell no one…no one can help. This Sight will tear me apart, I feel. It will bring all that I have ever wrought to ruin.

Brooke closed the journal and looked up. In the candlelight, Elliana stood. Brooke winced. Elliana's long, black hair shone blue in the light and she seemed nothing less than a demon from the depths of Hell. Brooke shoved the image away and saw what was there- An Elliana that was mad, yet possibly willing to hear an explanation.

"Elliana…"

"What, Brooke? Can't find the words? That problem has never occurred before." Elliana didn't move. The words seem to float across the room in Brooke's direction, but she didn't let them affect her. Elliana was pissed, and her words were her weapons. But Brooke felt shielded.

"Shut up! Just for one minute." Brooke screamed. "I have no pity for you, Elliana. None. You have the chance to ask for my help, or let me listen to whatever you must. People tell me that you've never had friends, Elliana. Maybe that's because you close them out. I don't know. Maybe you treat them like you've treated my today. If you're having a bad day, I understand. I have them too." Brooke stood up and reached out to Elliana, but she pulled away.

"How very nice of you." Elliana spat. "I don't need your help. I have it under control. I have never taken pity, and I'm glad you won't give it. Save it for someone else."

"Fine! I sincerely hope that you're over this soon. I don't think I'd like sitting through History of Magic without you to talk to." Brooke tried to smile, but Elliana frowned.

"I think you'd live."

Elliana had always been alone for Christmas, and this was no exception. Brooke had gone home, very bitter still. She had been eerily quiet lately, and all of Slytherin was gossiping about it. Elliana cared very little, however. She sat on her bed, writing in her journal. She was sick of acting like someone she wasn't, and had once again become withdrawn. Elliana didn't need to be Head Girl, she decided. That was a passing, fleeting thing.

Dinner would be served shortly, and only a few people had stayed this holiday. Elliana would be missed, and someone would most likely come to look for her. She walked down to the common room and found Wynton. Even though they didn't speak, they walked to the Great Hall together. He seemed to know what had happened with Brooke, for he brought it up partway through dessert.

"Poor Stormborne. Friendless again." He hissed, taking a bite of pie. Elliana kicked him hard under the table and glared in his direction. She would not say anything in the presence of the teachers, but her eyes flashed gold with anger and remained that way for quite awhile.

"Walk with me." Wynton said after dinner. Elliana nodded and followed him silently. She wanted to get to a place where she could hex him without immediate consequence. He seemed to know this, but laughed it off. Wynton led her outside and turned to her. "You were doing so well."

"Bite me, Ashwinder. You were toying with me. I am not your experiment. You cannot change what I am. I chose to be withdrawn and closed-off. I could not care less about the glory of Slytherin." Elliana sat on the bench and pulled her cloak around her.

"Stormborne, you're friend owled me. She seemed to think we had talked or something. She cares about you, for some unseen reason. Why do you push her away?" Wynton picked a leaf off the tree and started picking it apart.

"Stop lecturing me. I have no friends- you said so yourself." Elliana got up and started walking across the lawns. Wynton caught up with her as she neared the Greenhouses. It started to rain softly, and she stopped in her tracks. In a smooth motion, she pivoted and began back towards the castle.

Wynton caught her wrist.

"Let go of me!" Elliana screamed. Wynton didn't let go, however.

"Stormborne, she was helping you. You hurt her. Do you know that? Why do you always run from your problems?" Wynton asked as the rain came harder. Elliana squirmed.

"I don't care what she feels. I'm through caring. Don't feed me this glory schpeil…I've heard it all before, trust me. Now let me go…I'll hex you, I swear it!" Elliana was in tears at this point. Wynton had never seen her in tears.

"What is your problem?" Wynton asked softly.

"The rain…It's raining…" Elliana muttered. A look of realization passed over Wynton's face as he dropped her wrist. She began running toward the castle. After a moment of shock, Wynton followed her. Once inside the Entry Hall, Wynton stopped her.

"Stormborne…I didn't mean to do th-"

"I know. Leave me alone, Ashwinder. You've made your point." Elliana ran towards the common room and left a trail of soggy footprints behind her.

The woman of forty-seven years wept. She was standing in the house of her most hated enemy, begging for mercy. Her twenty-nine year old daughter was getting weaker, and would die if she remained around this place much longer. The woman sacrificed pride and honor, and broke down.

_"Please! She did nothing! Leave her be!" She pleaded with him. _

_"She is part of you. You took part of me, I took part of you." The man said. He was not laughing or sneering, only speaking the truth._

_"She's my daughter!" the woman screamed._

_"She's not suffering." The man assured her._

_"I loved you." The woman whispered._

_"That love is gone. Only ice remains." The man burned her with her own words. _

_"Take me instead! My life! Please…"_

_"I cannot kill you. The ancient magic remains!" The man pushed her away from him. He walked over to a drawer and withdrew a box._

_"Here. Take it. It's for your granddaughter. A lasting gift from her mother." The man said. The woman looked confused. _

_"You think a _necklace_ will replace a daughter?" She screamed. The man shook his head._

_"No, but it will ensure you an heir by magical means."_

_"I want my daughter!" The woman sobbed. A young woman with silver hair entered the room. _

_"Father," she said. "I've come." The young girl of about thirty looked in his eyes and between them passed an unspoken message. The man turned to the older woman and frowned._

"Get thee gone. It's over. She suffered no pain, no hardships, no taunting, and no loss of pride. There's your mercy." The man practically spat the last word as the older woman broke down completely and sobbed. "I loved you once, as well. Take the gift home to your granddaughter. Time will test her mother's will."

Elliana shook her head of the dream as she woke up. This one hadn't been violent, but there had been a certain aching realness to it. So much realness in one vision. The truth called to her from faraway, like she knew the answer to some question. It didn't seem right to her that her visions would have this power over her. She sighed and got out of bed. Everyone was coming back today, meaning Elliana would have to see Brooke. She was quite set on ignoring her once-friend, but she wasn't sure if she could do that. Elliana didn't really hate Brooke, but she _had_ meant some of things that she had said.

After breakfast, Elliana was digging through her trunk for a bottle of ink. She saw a bunch of parchment and pulled it out, expecting some disregarded notes. Instead, she found what appeared to be letters. Elliana didn't recognize the handwriting, but she until the ribbon and let the letters fall to the floor. She looked at the carefully. They weren't letters, after all. They seemed to be journal entries…written on spare bits of parchment.

Life at sea is harder, still. The waters are rough. A baby is on the way. My baby. Elliana Evenua. She has eased so much pain already. I know that I would not have been able to live on without her. She came at the right moment to save my heart and mind. The healer warned me of such things, but I see that only good can come from this.

Her mother. The journal entries had been written by her mother. And that was her last name, then- Evenua. Elliana read another.

Elliana, my sweet child. Born today in London. How did I ever live without her? I held her for the first time tonight. She seemed to absorb my pain and make it stay far away. It doesn't affect her. The healer was wrong. It doesn't affect her. Elliana, my angel. My perfect angel.

Elliana bit her lip. Her mother had some sort of pain. Maybe it was related to the pain that Elliana felt now. She put that bit aside and picked up another.

The seas are rough, but Elliana dances better everyday. I had another vision today…it burned the bottom of my soul. Elliana was sleeping, and I had nothing to protect myself with. I have grown too used to the silence. I felt sick, and I didn't eat. Elliana was beautiful when she awoke, and I gathered her in my arms and felt relieved.

It all became clear…Elliana threw the letters back in her trunk and let the lid slam. The bit about the healer…the pain affecting Elliana…it was all very clear. Elliana's mother had had visions, it seemed. Elliana's mother had given her the power. Although she had little memory of her mother, Elliana cursed the bits she knew. It was all her mother's fault that she had this to deal with. It was illogical, but it made Elliana feel slightly better.

The door to the dorm opened, and Elliana jumped back. She had lost track of time. Brooke didn't even look at her as she took her trunk to her bed and set her things down. Natalie smiled slightly, and Alison nodded in acknowledgement. Elliana sat on the floor, suddenly feeling very small as she had long ago. Brooke walked over to her and extended a hand. Elliana took it and pulled herself up.

"Happy Christmas, Elliana." Brooke said, smiling. "I brought you chocolate from France. It's the best kind, I promise. My mother ate most of what I had before I ever got on the train, but I made sure to save you some." Brooke handed Elliana a box. Elliana looked at Brooke with silent query. "It was stupid of me to look for your journal. I didn't realize it was so important to you, and I suppose I was too stubborn to ask. I assumed you wouldn't have told me." Brooke shrugged and pulled her stuffed Kneazle out of her trunk, hugging it.

"Thank you, Brooke." Elliana said quietly, taking a bite of chocolate.

"Isn't it divine? I knew you'd love it!" Brooke said, excited. Elliana didn't bother to correct her. "It's by the French branch of Honeydukes. They make it especially for Christmas, and the recipe is different every year. Truly a once in a lifetime treat."

"Yes." Elliana agreed. She handed Brooke a piece of chocolate, and then offered some to Alison and Natalie. Both girls declined and patted their stomachs, muttering of eating too much on the train. Elliana found this absolutely silly as there was never anything much to eat on the train besides Chocolate Frogs and things. She didn't voice this opinion, however.

Classes were brutal after the holidays. Elliana was swamped with homework, and suddenly felt sorry for those on the Quidditch team. The house team was subjected to practices in the rain, games in the gusty wind, and celebratory parties late into the night. Elliana rarely went to the games, but occasionally Brooke dragged her along.

Elliana's least favorite games were the Gryffindor versus Slytherin matches. Gryffindors always played with a brutality and impudence that Elliana never found in other games. All of Gryffindor's plays were easily seen ahead of time, and never carried through properly. Elliana made it a point not to watch the Gryffindor games.

Hufflepuff had a strong Quidditch team, even though they rarely played aggressively. They always used every member of their team, and the Hufflepuff stands were always very supportive. Hufflepuff played extremely hard for every point they earned. Their Seeker was one of the best.

Ravenclaw matches were the most exciting for Elliana. The Ravenclaw plays were always very calculated and sharp. The turns were made with precision, and the players had an advanced system of signals and patterns. Elliana always had to be on top of things to predict what was going to happen.

Natalie was most certainly the star of the Slytherin team. She made excellent use of her top-of-the-line broom, and she executed every maneuver with a certain cleanliness. Natalie also seemed to capture the hearts of all observing males, regardless of whether or not they were in Slytherin. Wynton was also on the Quidditch team- a chaser like Natalie. Elliana noticed that he was rather arrogant on the field. While his skills were no match for Natalie's, he was the next best chaser at Hogwarts. His ambition on the field would have doubled had he not been in Slytherin and had to face Natalie.

Elliana went to the first game after the holidays with Brooke. Slytherin won, but they had to work very hard for the victory. Slytherin was the only team in the school that could match the wit of the Ravenclaw plays. Slytherin overcame that challenge, and walked away one step closer to the House Cup. Elliana followed the cheering crowd back to the Common Room and actually enjoyed the party that followed.

Slytherin parties always amused Elliana, even though she wasn't the party sort. Slytherin parties always had undertones of politics and stature. The Quidditch team held the power and the attention at the after-game celebrations. Everyone else fell in to congratulate. Eventually, as the night wore on, most people would retire to bed and only those with the required power would stay. Elliana had never stayed at this point, and this time was no exception. Natalie would be held in conversation until long past midnight.

"Stormborne? Since when do you like Quidditch?" A sixth-year girl asked. Elliana turned from her conversation with Alison to face the voice. The girl had her arm in Wynton's, and was looking far too dressed up for a Quidditch game. Her name was Martine, and Elliana hadn't known that the girl was even aware of her existence.

"I like Slytherin matches." Elliana answered cautiously as Martine and Wynton neared. She glanced briefly at Wynton, but decided to keep her true opinions of the Slytherin team to herself. Elliana did not seek to cause tension with the Ashwinder boy.

"I had you pegged for a recluse, Stormborne." Martine said with a hint of malice. Elliana had been called worse, and wasn't really bothered. This girl had no reason to pick a fight. Unless…she was jealous of a non-existent relationship between Wynton and Elliana.

"Mostly."

"But not today."

"Not today."

Martine broke away from Wynton and stepped up to face Elliana. Martine was at least three inches taller, but Elliana wasn't intimidated. Elliana was not a threat, and Martine needed to understand that it seemed.

"You watch it, Stormborne. I don't know what your problem is, but there is a line you must not cross." Martine glared.

"I have no idea what you're-"

"He talks about you all the time." Martine said this with a sadness, and Elliana suddenly realized something. As much as it had seemed Wynton used Martine for show, Martine had actual feelings for him. It was disgusting. "He doesn't see that you're just using him. He's helpless in that way. Falling prisoner to others. It's pathetic."

"Yes." Elliana said, laughing silently at the irony.

"Don't tease him like that, Stormborne. It's horribly mean. He doesn't see it, but I do." Martine glanced back at Wynton.

"Life isn't always complex and emotional."

"Is that some sort of joke?"

"Yes. I was mocking you." Elliana had her wand out before Martine brought up her hand. Elliana Stupefied the girl before Martine had a chance to slap her, and it seemed to be a good thing. Wynton walked over and laughed.

"Stormborne, you can't hold it against her." Wynton pointed to Martine.

"She's blinded. It's pathetic." Elliana muttered, crossing her arms.

"She really is a sweet girl," Wynton said nonchalantly. "And she knows what it is." Wynton looked at Elliana carefully, trying to figure out if he was setting her off. He wasn't. Elliana seemed subdued.

"Does she?" Elliana asked. "Slytherin is all about using other people to your advantage, it seems. Maybe she hasn't figured that out yet. Have you some sort of charm I don't see?" Elliana waved her wand and Martine was moving again, this time swinging her hand into nothing. Elliana didn't laugh, but Martine seemed wounded somehow.

"Come, Martine. Let's go for a walk." Elliana watched as Wynton led Martine out of the Common Room. She silently wondered if Wynton would feed the girl more lies, or tell her the truth. There was no idealistic hope in Elliana. She knew that Wynton would try to make amends to anything Elliana might have told her. One's power was only as strong as one's words.


	4. The Dance of Night

Part Four: The Dance of Night

_The world is not enough  
But it is such a perfect place to start...my love  
And if you're strong enough  
Together we can take the world apart...my love_

Elliana stepped out of the castle and pulled her cloak around her tightly. The night was cold, and her dancing tunic provided little warmth. Elliana had been neglecting her dancing, and it seemed her mind knew it. Her muscles had tensed as of late, and her visions had come stronger. Elliana put her cloak on a rock as she stretched out slowly. She stretched her arms above her head and pulled them down in a soft beginning of a dance.

The dance was slow, reflecting her stress from the past month or so. School was overwhelming, and it truly seemed as if a rather bad muggle drama was unfolding around her. Elliana had never played part in the social world of Slytherin, but she had now been sucked in by association. Elliana stopped her dance as she spotted a pair of vivid blue eyes locked with hers. He raised a hand when their eyes met, showing that he meant no harm.

"What are you doing?" Elliana asked softly, not moving toward him. She saw the Slytherin crest on his robes, and realized that she had seen him before. He stepped out of the shadows, but came no closer.

"I was just passing by."

Elliana's sea-green eyes flashed. Dancing was private to her. That's why she'd come out here. Dancing was not for anyone else to watch. She felt her anger rising, as it had when she had found Brooke going through her things. Elliana did not like people in her space.

"Liar." She said lowly, in an emotionless voice. "You cannot take what is mine. You cannot." Elliana kept her eyes locked with his, and a vision swam over her. The vision hit her with force, but it seemed subdued. The vision seemed to radiate from the boy.

_A woman, not quite old but not young either, stood over a cauldron. A table behind her was dusty with books, but her face looked determined. Her hair was a beautiful black color, and seemed to shine with magic._

_'Gregory. Come here.' the woman demanded. A handsome older man in a sweeping cloak came, and peered into the cauldron. He held himself with an importance. He seemed to be powerful._

_'It's ready.' he told her. 'All these years have paid off.' The man took her in his arms and leaned in close, almost kissing her. 'He will pay for what he did to you. And all of those after him shall pay.'_

_'Gregory, what will happen to us? The books say these things have side-effects.' The woman said, with very little doubt in her voice. She was used to being worried, but this thing didn't seem to faze her._

_'Nothing can happen. Nothing. Faryn's safe. Everything is fine.'_

Elliana blinked and turned away. She had no clue what sort of Fate this boy brought with him, but she wanted no part of it. Somehow, she had a feeling that she would soon be involved. She stared at the boy.

He seemed shaken by her reaction to the vision, and he shuddered under the intensity of her gaze. The boy stood and did not back down, though. Elliana wondered what he was getting at- watching her.

"Calling me a liar Girl? What have you got for me to take? I need nothing, and want nothing," He smirked slightly. "I am a Baggert." He said it as though she should have known as soon as she had seen him. Elliana looked at him in masked confusion. She was not frightened, though

"Liar then and liar still. You were watching me. Therefore, you took what is mine. Half the school stares at me- you cannot fool me." Elliana had heard the whispers in the hall. Brooke said people thought she was beautiful. Elliana had felt the jealousy rise from people, but she thought it was stemmed in a different way.

Elliana had heard the name before, she was sure. Someone rich, someone classy, someone evil. Elliana kept from laughing. The boy was so sure of himself. He had an arrogance about him that only Slytherins seemed to possess. It was the confident arrogance.

"Dark times are ahead for you, Baggert. And they could begin with me." She threatened him. She knew that the vision directly had to do with him. It had that feeling. Elliana felt power over the visions, and it made her feel slightly better.

He closed the gap between them and glared at her. Elliana did not flinch, but she began to fear an underlying temper. The Baggert boy was a sixth year, she realized. She had seen him with Wynton a few times. He wore a Prefect's badge, she noted.

"If you wish to have a happy school life, you will not threaten me again." He whispered. Elliana watched as his eyes grew sinister, and it sent shivers down her spine. A hateful whisper was more horrible than yelling, she found. She realized he was growing angry. Good.

"If you wish to have a happy school life, you'll leave me alone." Elliana said quietly, not looking at him. She stared at the mountains in the distance. The moon shone down from above and Elliana thought that the whole thing was rather bothersome. She wanted to dance.

"If you want your privacy," He started. "You should not wander around in the dead of night. It draws attention." He was surprised as she laughed. She looked at him with unspoken amusement.

"Fighting with me will get you everywhere, if you win." She said icily. He watched her, and seemed to pick apart her life in the few words they had exchanged. His eyes told her that he knew everything. It was an odd sensation, realizing that someone could read her like that. She hated the feeling that someone could know something and she would have no control over it.

"You are powerful. I see it in your eyes. You have some secret that even I cannot know. I see the power, and I see your will to conceal it. I am powerful too, witch. Just imagine the things we could accomplish together. Just imagine." Baggert put a hand on her shoulder. Elliana thought his hand was like ice, and she longed for her cloak. She looked at him, meeting his eyes.

"You know nothing about me."

"I do. I can see it. I've suddenly realized where I've seen you before. I was silly to forget. You're the girl Ashwinder was so taken with last year." Baggert laughed. Elliana felt a pang of anger.

"He was never taken with me. That's stupid. He wanted power just the same as you." She said, pulling out her wand and Summoning her cloak. Elliana slipped it over her shoulders and felt better. Safer.

"He convinced you so? He was always talking of the Stormborne girl…of course, he was quite angry after you hit him. His pride had taken a bruising. All of Slytherin was talking of it, and it made him angry even to see you. But, believe me. Up until then, he fancied you." Baggert laughed. Elliana glared at him, but stopped. Somehow, he seemed fueled by her anger.

"Stop."

"Stop what? Telling you the truth? Have it your way. We can speak of other things. I can tell, you know. I can tell that you know. I know it too. We could accomplish great things." Baggert took her hand for a moment. Elliana knew that he was asking for her to dive into the political thirst for power.

"We won't. That power will be the death of us." Elliana said sadly. She could see it. The visions rose in the back of her mind, whispering softly. In that moment, she could see the things that she wanted to see. "Quest for power on your own."

"You cannot run from the fate you know lies here. You cannot. I would quest for the power, but I would fail. Stormborne, you do not need to decide now. I bring you no falsehoods, though. I do not lie to you." Baggert looked toward the castle. "Would you like me to walk you back to the Common Room?"

"No. I want to dance."

Elliana chose not to tell Brooke of the encounter, but she soon regretted that choice. Kaden- as Martine had called him once- seemed to know that she was trapped. There was no choice, it seemed. He had the resources for her to get the things she wanted. Elliana wanted wealth, as superficial as it seemed. She had never had it, and she wanted it. Elliana wanted security, which Kaden offered daily. He seemed to know where he was going, and that was good. Elliana found herself sitting in the Common Room and listening to conversations late into the nights as she did her homework.

As the Hogsmeade weekend approached, Elliana finished her preparations for the spell she was about to perform. She was memorizing the words late one night, as the fire died down in the grate. The next thing she knew, Kaden was shaking her awake. Elliana looked up and felt a sudden fear. He had her incantation, and was reading it.

"Give it back." She said with urgency, standing up. Kaden looked at her with amusement. Never give someone something that they can use against you, Elliana reminded herself.

"Stormborne, are you planning to do Dark Magic?" Kaden asked tauntingly. Elliana glared, remaining silent. She sat on the table and looked up at him. "I could report you for this."

"But you won't." Elliana said pointedly.

"I won't." He looked at her for a moment and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Hogsmeade has wards, though." He nodded as Elliana looked doubtful. "You'll have to walk at least a mile farther."

"You don't know what you're talking about." She said quietly. Somehow, he did. Elliana took her paper from his hand and tucked it in her robes.

"I do. You'll have to go a mile out of Hogsmeade before you're past the wards. Trust me." Kaden smirked. He knew that she had no choice but to trust him, and it was a step towards getting her on his side.

"You're going to follow me." Elliana said, running over possibilities in her mind. What if he _did_ tell after all? He didn't seem like the type to snitch, but one could never be certain.

"I have better things to do." Kaden put a hand in his pocket and set the other one next to her on the table. He leaned in closely and whispered. "You'd better be careful. Do the magic quickly and get back into town."

"Why do you care?"

"You're my key to power."

"I'll be fine."

"Meet me at the Three Broomsticks afterwards." Kaden said, walking towards the fire. He sat on the couch, forcing Elliana to speak louder so that he could hear her.

"I'll be fine." She said, getting up and walking over to the couch. She didn't feel fearful about her spell tomorrow night. He was instilling worry, though. She hesitated. "I will be."

"And you'll be at the Three Broomsticks afterwards so that I can be sure." Kaden said with a finality. Elliana nodded and gathered her things, leaving to go to bed. She smiled at Brooke as she walked in. Brooke smiled back, but seemed to lack energy. Elliana felt bad for not having talked to her friend much, but the feeling was fleeting. Her mind was elsewhere. Her future, and how she was going to get there.

Saturday morning, Elliana went with Brooke to shop for robes. Elliana didn't need any robes, but Brooke had herself convinced she had outgrown her old ones. Elliana had laughed and had gone along for something to do. Brooke was looking through hats (she had gotten distracted) and Elliana shuffled through the dress robes, mentally making notes of how long she'd have to save up her Christmas money to afford them.

Elliana and Brooke ate lunch in the Three Broomsticks and then spent the afternoon looking through books at the bookstore. Elliana curled up with a copy of _Hogwarts: The Founding_ and read the afternoon away. Brooke suggested they go to the café in the bookstore for dinner, and that was enjoyable. Elliana supposed that if Hogwarts ever had music floating through the hallways, it would sound somewhat like what the café had playing.

"Elliana, it's getting dark. We should be getting back." Brooke said after they finished their tea. "I have a lot of studying to do for the quiz in Herbology next week. It's going to be awful. Imagine, a _written_ Herbology quiz." Brooke groaned.

"It's your best subject. You'll be fine." Elliana said distantly. "And I want to stay. I'm meeting someone."

"A boy? Is it a date? Oh my gosh, Elliana. I'm so happy for you. Honestly, I thought you hated boys. The way you pushed Wynton away even though he obviously fancied you." Brooke squealed and hopped up. "I'll leave you to it, then. Have fun, and don't stay out too late." Brooke grinned and hurried out of the café.

Elliana gathered up her things and started to walk down the road. After about twenty minutes, she found a spot off the road that she figured would be perfect. She set her bag down and pulled out a small, round crystal. It was to represent the moon. Elliana pulled out a vial of Sleeping Draught and drank it, feeling its effect. Summoning up all of her power, Elliana began the incantation before the Draught took over. A blue light rose from the orb and swirled around Elliana. She continued, careful not to stutter. When she was finished, the light blasted gold and died away. Elliana felt very much awake, and knew her nights would no longer be haunted. It comforted her.

Elliana turned to gather her things and gasped softly. The Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, was standing on the road looking at her. She bent down to pick up her things, trying to be casual. She put the orb in her bag and then the vial, standing up. Elliana knew he was still watching her.

"Miss Stormborne. You are in very serious trouble."

Elliana sat in Dumbledore's office, not speaking. Dumbledore stood behind his desk and looked at her with pity. She hated that. His auburn hair was slowly turning gray, she could see. She pitied him. Elliana had not spoken since she had seen him. Silence was her weapon now.

"Miss Stormborne, you were using a very dangerous spell. A spell that is thoroughly against the law. You have not chosen to explain yourself thus far, and I fail to see your reasoning. I-" Dumbledore was cut off as the door to his office opened and Kaden walked in. Elliana didn't have to turn to know that it was he. Kaden walked up beside her chair and looked at Dumbledore with determination. Elliana was feeling weary, but her conscientious told her to panic. Kaden could still tell on her.

"Headmaster, I'm sorry to interrupt. I heard that you witnessed Stormborne's spell and I felt I had to come and explain. As you know, my father is on the board of governors. My father felt that, in these dark times, Hogsmeade needed to be sure that it is protected. It is the easiest way to Hogwarts, after all." Kaden put a hand on Elliana's shoulder and she remained silent. Better to let someone else do her talking.

"Yes, Mr. Baggert. Hogsmeade is crucial to our well-being." Dumbledore said, a glint of amusement in his eye. Kaden went on.

"My father knows that Elliana is a clever student, and figured that she would be able to check the wards. My father would have come himself, but it is a long journey from where we live. Also, as Elliana's been having nightmares lately, it seemed that this could benefit her as well. My father should have told you, but he is sometimes blinded by the power he thinks he has." Kaden finished with a small smile and Dumbledore nodded.

"Very well. I will write to your father to verify this, and to the Ministry alerting them that the wards need to be tightened. As it is, Miss Stormborne was using illegal magic. She will serve detention every night for six weeks." Dumbledore looked at Elliana, and she smiled for his sake. Kaden motioned for her to follow and she left Dumbledore's office.

Once outside, Kaden looked at her and laughed. She pulled her cloak around her tightly and said nothing. Kaden smiled and put his hand on her back, leading her down the corridor.

"You can talk now, Stormborne."

"Thank you." Elliana said, stopping. He had saved her from interrogation by the Ministry…possible suspension of rights to use magic for a few months. She owed him now, she realized. Elliana hated debt, but she wasn't angry. She didn't want to be kicked out of Kristin's home, and she didn't want anything to cause tension.

"I owled my father before I came." Kaden said, nodding. "I saw you walking back with Dumbledore, and I knew something had gone wrong. My father will go along with it. He got into worse in his school days. He went to Durmstrang, you know." Kaden smirked and started walking down the corridor. Elliana walked beside him.

"Am I to assume I know why?" Elliana asked quietly. Kaden glanced at her and said nothing. When they reached the wall, he muttered the password and they entered the Slytherin Common Room. It was full of people, and Elliana felt people staring as she entered. Of course, they didn't really know. No one really knew. Not even Kaden. Elliana sat on the couch next to him and sighed.

"Don't look at it as bribery and it won't be so bad." Kaden said. Elliana nodded distantly and turned things over in her mind. She looked at him and shook her head.

"How did you know? About the nightmares, I mean." Elliana hadn't told him her plans. She hadn't told him anything. "Unless you looked it up. Or…"

"Don't worry about it."

"I don't."

"It bothers you."

"A bit."

"Why?"

"I don't know…I feel like you've invaded my thoughts and pulled out all the stuff you want to know. It's like the dancing all over again." Elliana fidgeted with her bracelet. Kaden laughed, as he did so often, and shrugged.

"I didn't. I promise." Kaden looked to the entrance as Wynton and Martine walked in. Martine was crying silently while Wynton was looking smug. Elliana knew that if she were Brooke, she'd comfort Martine. As it was, she was not Brooke. She sat on the couch as Kaden got up and pulled Wynton aside. They spoke in whispers for at least ten minutes before Kaden came back. "Stormborne, let's go." Elliana looked at him and then to Wynton and nodded, leading the way out of the Common Room and towards the library. She knew that it would be practically empty at this time of night, but not yet closed.

"Martine doesn't understand." Elliana said softly as they walked in the library. She found a table in the corner and sat down. Kaden stood and leaned against the table, facing her. He shook his head, but there was no pity in his eyes.

"Ashwinder needs her for impression's sake. She asked him flat out tonight, and the ass actually told her. Martine's sensitive. She's proven more than once that she can't handle stuff like that." Kaden cursed under his breath. Elliana thought to herself, I'm not for impression's sake. I'm for power's sake. Are the two so different?

"He didn't lie to her." Elliana pointed out. Kaden looked at her curiously for a moment and nodded. He turned a Sickle over in his fingers idly. "Baggert, does it bother you that Martine's hurt?"

"It bothers me that Ashwinder hurt her. I don't care for the guy. He's very fickle. One moment, he'll be the nicest guy Martine's ever met. The next, he'll throw it in her face. I've never been friends with Martine, but even I wouldn't do that to her. Not to anyone. You have to respect people. Everyone views Slytherins as mean and snobbish, but there's a code here like there is in the outside world. Ashwinder broke the code." Kaden glared at the thought. "Forgive me for sounding righteous and such, but these things have to be dealt with. That's why I talked to Ashwinder instead of leaving it be."

"I understand."

"I respect you, Stormborne, if that's what you're wondering. I would never let you believe things that are not true. I do not lie." Kaden sat down in the chair next to Elliana and put the Sickle in his pocket. "There's always a way that things are done. I want something that you have, and you want something that you know I can give you. That's the way things are." Kaden said, trying to explain it in a logical progression. But it wasn't something that could be explained. It was just something that Elliana understood.

"I know. I know the destination and I know the motivation. The only thing left for me to figure out is the path of travel. And I'm sure you haven't figured that out either." Elliana looked at him and watched him ponder these things. It was apparent that he did know, and that he chose not to tell her. She understood, though. It was the way things were.

"Stormborne!" Elliana turned around at the sound of her name to see Kaden walking up the corridor towards her. She had just finished her last class of the day, Transfiguration, and was ready to relax before dinner. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. Brooke looked back, but continued on with a knowing smile on her face. "Come with me." Elliana looked at him oddly as he turned the other direction and pulled her by the hand.

"Baggert, our Common Room is that way." Elliana said, objecting. The stupor she had received from the spell was finally wearing off, and she felt clear-headed again. Elliana repeated the question after he didn't answer.

"We're going to have dinner." Kaden said, smirking. She matched her pace to his so that he wasn't pulling her anymore. Elliana adjusted the weight of her books and wondered where he was taking her. They walked out of the castle and down the grounds. He stopped under a tree and set his bag down.

"I'm not sure I follow your logic." Elliana said, glancing nervously at the lake. Kaden seemed to pick up on this, but said nothing. He bent down and opened his bag, pulling out two sandwiches, crackers, and a jug of pumpkin juice.

"We're going to eat. Think of it as a date, if you want. I promise to have you back before detention. I have things to do in Hogsmeade anyway." Kaden smirked. Elliana sat down next to him, but shook her head.

"Nix the date, and we'll call it good. I have to polish lenses in the Astronomy tower." Elliana transfigured two rocks into silver goblets and poured their pumpkin juice. Kaden unwrapped the sandwiches. Elliana sat down and looked at the lake, trying to push away the beckonings of the water.

"Think what you will." Kaden said. "Astronomy tower? How exciting. You can accidentally bump into all of the snogging couples." Elliana laughed.

"It's a Thursday."

"And no one has Astronomy tonight- it would be completely abandoned if you didn't have to serve your detention." Kaden took a cracker and nibbled on it. Elliana hadn't pictured him as the type to nibble on his food, but he did. He looked at the cracker in disdain when its crumbs got all over his robes. It amused Elliana slightly.

"Only another month."

"Yes. Why do you keep looking at the lake like it'll come up and bite you, Stormborne? It's just water." Kaden asked.

"I…nothing." Elliana ate her sandwich and didn't look at the lake. Kaden shrugged, eating another cracker.

"Don't tell me, then. I'll find out sooner or later." Kaden smirked as Elliana rolled her eyes. She didn't respond, though. She had no doubt that he would find out. "So, Stormborne. Rumor has it that you live with Conner Darley."

"You don't seem the type to heed rumors." Elliana observed.

"I'll take that as a yes." Kaden leaned back on the grass and looked up at the leaves in the tree above them. Elliana glanced back at him.

"His daughter."

"Excuse me?"

"Kristin Darley."

"I see." Kaden watched a look of confusion spread across her face. It annoyed her that he never felt the need to explain his questions. He just asked them, got the answers, and shut up.

"Baggert-"

"It's nothing, Stormborne. I was just curious." Kaden propped himself up on his elbows and raised an eyebrow at her. "Conner Darley has a high seat on the Irish Ministry of Magic. You didn't know that, though."

"No. I did not."

"You never asked, then."

"I did not think it was important what he did for a living." Elliana picked at the grass and pondered how this would come to be important. Why was it important for her to know that, she wondered. What was Kaden getting at?

"Knowledge is power, Stormborne." Kaden sat up and watched her pick at the grass. Elliana could tell he was waiting for her to ask questions about the matter, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Kaden teased people with the knowledge that he possessed. "Forget I said it, then. Everyone in Slytherin knows that you live with him- his daughter rather- but you still hardly ever get letters. It would be rather much like you had no family at all." Elliana glared at him angrily and he laughed. "So sensitive, Stormborne. You _do_ have a family, so it shouldn't bother you what people say. People are stupid, remember?" Kaden covered her hand with his and squeezed it.

"Are you stupid, then?" Elliana asked icily.

"On occasion." Elliana laughed softly and felt her anger dissipate. Unlike her encounter with Wynton, Kaden did not mean to hurt her- or so she thought. She could never be quite sure. Kaden was very blunt, but he seemed gentle at the same time. It was like he had said- he knew what people could handle. Wynton, on the other hand, had been sickeningly nice. And then, when he hadn't gotten what he wanted, he struck out with hatred. Kaden chuckled to himself. "Here we are, on a date, and we've barely spoken of anything besides your family, detention, and stupidity."

"This isn't a date." Elliana said pointedly. She looked at their entwined hands and the picnic in front of them. Quite true, to anyone else it would most definitely appear to be so. Kaden shrugged.

"If you say so. Well, Stormborne, before this non-date ends, we should have a semi-important conversation. What is your favorite Zonko's product?" Kaden looked at her with a serious curiosity and she had to laugh again.

"I've never been in the store." Elliana shook her head silently as a look of mock amazement came over Kaden's face. "What? It's a prank store."

"And I suppose you've never pulled a prank either." Kaden smirked. Elliana shrugged and shook her head. "What do you do for fun, then? And don't say studying." Elliana closed her mouth and thought about this for a moment.

"I dance. That's fun. And reading…" She had never felt like she had to justify these things to someone, and therefore they had been taken for granted. Kaden shook his head sadly.

"You won't let anyone see you dance, though. I think it's an excuse to get away from people. But, no matter." Kaden blinked thoughtfully. Elliana was sure he was planning something, but didn't ask. Again, she didn't want to fall to her curiosity.

"They're more logical things to do than pull pranks. Pranks are pointless." Elliana said as the sun began to set. Kaden laughed.

"The Gryffindors do it to us. We have to get them back somehow. And besides, I do more than just pulling pranks. At least I go to the parties." Kaden smiled as Elliana rolled her eyes.

"Slytherin parties are such a façade." Elliana said, sighing.

"So are you." Kaden quipped. Elliana stared at him in disbelief. That wasn't where she was expecting the conversation to go. "Don't look so shocked, Stormborne. It's true, isn't it? You pretend to be withdrawn, but you claim society has made you that way. You hide, but you truly want attention."

"Stop. Why do all of you think that you can tell me what to do?" Elliana asked, pulling her hands under her cloak and looking away from him. Kaden laughed.

"The parties aren't always politics and society, Stormborne. Everything has more than one side. All you have to do is try and look for those other sides." Elliana glared at him. "You're only mad because you know that it's true. It's okay, Stormborne. I'm not going to sit here and lecture you about becoming a better person. I was merely pointing out that you aren't an exception." Kaden shrugged and started to gather the remnants of the picnic into his bag. Elliana sighed.

"I don't pretend to be anything. If people ask, I tell them the truth." Elliana said in her own defense. Kaden looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"Do you really?" He glanced at the lake and raised an eyebrow. Elliana pulled some grass and began tearing it apart slowly. "All I'm saying is that people won't always ask. If you don't want them to assume things, then don't give them anything to assume."

"What about you? People assume you're controlling and a powerful sort of leader in this house." Elliana stood up as he did and picked up her bag.

"That's different. I am controlling."

Elliana found that the Astronomy tower was the easiest detention she had served thus far. She finished early and walked back to the Common Room by ten. And, contrary to Kaden's belief, she hadn't barged in on anyone kissing. That was a good thing, because Elliana would had to have finished her detention around them.

"Lethifold." Elliana said when she reached the entrance to the Common Room. It was still fairly busy as people finished their homework and talked about their weekend plans. She quickly found Brooke talking animatedly close to the fire.

"Elliana! Hello!" Brooke said happily as Elliana approached. "There's going to be a party Saturday night. Did you know that? It's going to be only for fifth years and up. You know, the last weekend before spring holidays. It's an all-house party, so it should be fairly interesting. Do you want to go?" Brooke bounced excitedly. Elliana had studying to do, but she knew that Brooke would end up dragging her along anyway.

"For a while." Elliana said. She walked up the girls' staircase and set her things down in her dorm. Elliana changed into her nightgown and got out her Arithmancy book, ready to study. Brooke opened the door and ran in, jumping on her bed.

"It'll be fun, Elliana. Just imagine- all the houses. We never have all-house parties. It's a new thing, this year. The teachers are trying to encourage unity between the houses during the dark times and such. They say a new evil is rising, and it's going to be bad. There were killings last weekend. Two or three…did you know that? The teachers are cautioning everyone now because they think it's going to get worse. They are Aurors on the job, but no one can come up with anything solid. Everyone in the Common Room is keeping it quiet…they all know what's going on." Brooke looked worried, but then she focused on the party again. "And it'll be fun."

"I said I'd go." Elliana said distractedly.

"Good."

"After detention."

"Do you think Dumbledore will schedule it earlier so you can go to the party? That'd be so very nice of him. Why do you have all of these detentions anyway? You never told me what you did." Brooke changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed.

"It's nothing. And he might."

Elliana had Transfiguration Friday, and that was good. Transfiguration was easy for her, and she didn't have to think too hard about what she was doing. Today, the fifth year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were changing wine bottles into swans. The room buzzed with excitement every time a swan came out successfully.

Elliana said her charm and watched as her bottle transformed into a swan. The swan was black; the first one in the class. Of course, the glass to her bottle had been black. She wondered if she'd get marked down. The new Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, hurried over and examined the swan.

"It seems perfect, Miss Stormborne. There's no odor to it, and no red coloring. It seems that you just had the wrong sort of bottle to start with. Full points." McGonagall walked away and scolded someone for drinking their wine before they began.

Elliana sat back and watched the swan curl up and sleep. Elliana felt her stomach turn as a vision swam over her. She focused on remembering the details.

_Burning…so much burning. Green light filled the sky and screams echoed in the air. A small house came into view and several people ran out of the doors. Cloaked figures followed steadily, wands out. They muttered a curse and green light hit those that had fled. The people fell to the ground, motionless. The cloaked figures stepped over the dead bodies and cast a glowing skull into the sky. A warning._

Elliana's eyes snapped open and she gasped, receiving an odd look from Brooke. Elliana shook her head and said the charm to change her swan back into a wine bottle. The Killing Curse…she had seen people use the Killing Curse. She hadn't seen the faces, and she didn't recognize the town.

Luckily, the lunch bell rang at that moment and she didn't have to listen to McGonagall lecture on the properties of the practiced charm. Elliana hurried out of the classroom and to the Great Hall. She wasn't particularly hungry after her vision, but she wanted people around her. Not that she'd converse with them or anything. She just wanted them there.

"Stormborne, may I sit here?" Martine asked. Elliana nodded and moved her bag, allowing the older girl to sit. Wynton was no where in sight, so she supposed he was avoiding Martine. In fact, she hadn't seen them together since that night in the Common Room. "I just wanted to thank you. You didn't make fun of me for being stupid."

"Everyone's stupid sometimes." Elliana said flatly.

"I know, but I got rubbish from everyone else. I'm glad I didn't have to take it from you as well. And after Kaden spoke to Wynton, things seemed better." Martine smiled. Elliana peeled a banana, silently noting that Brooke had, indeed, gotten her fruit after all.

"I have nothing to do with what Baggert does." Elliana told Martine. Martine smiled sweetly and took a sip of water.

"I know, but I figured you could thank him for me. After all, you two are together and-" Martine stopped when she saw the laughter in Elliana's eyes.

"We aren't together."

"Everyone thinks you are, though."

"We aren't. Not anymore than you and-" Elliana stopped and continued to eat her banana. She didn't want to set Martine off, and she didn't know what she could say to do that.

"So he's using you? Is that what you're saying?" Martine asked hotly. Elliana shrugged and looked up as the owl post entered. An official-looking owl dropped a newspaper in front of Elliana. Her first issue of the Daily Prophet! She had taken out a subscription to the paper last month, and this was her first copy.

"That's what I'm saying." Elliana said distantly as she opened the newspaper. The front page shocked her. She saw a picture of the glowing skull over a small village. She read the article and gasped. The village was right down the road from Hogsmeade. Eight people murdered…she had seen them die! Elliana closed the paper and grabbed her bag, walking from the Hall.

As Elliana started down the stairs, she saw Kaden with his friends. He glanced up and saw her, but she continued by without saying anything. Murders! Near Hogsmeade! Elliana clutched the paper in her hand and stopped when she came to a deserted classroom. She ducked inside and closed the door.

Okay, Elliana thought. I don't know anything about what happened. No reason to panic. It's over and done with, and it won't help if I kill myself worrying. Just let it be, Stormborne. Just let it be. Elliana composed herself and stepped out of the classroom. Kaden was leaning up against the wall, waiting for her.

"Baggert." Elliana said calmly, handing him the paper. He opened it and scanned the front page; his eyes dwelling on the picture for a moment. Elliana stepped up beside him and read the article again. "I have a question."

"Don't ask it." Kaden said simply, closing the paper. "It does you no good to know." Elliana frowned and headed for Herbology. Kaden didn't call after her, but she didn't need clarification of the meaning behind his words. Elliana reached the greenhouses long before anyone else, but she was happy for the solitude. She was happy for the quiet. Elliana sighed and pulled her mind away from the newspaper and shoved it towards schoolwork. She focused on her work.

That evening, Elliana was thankful she had detention. She could avoid talking to people for three hours while she helped Professor Sprout feed the plants in Greenhouse Three. She didn't say a word except to ask questions, but that seemed to be fine with the professor. After Elliana finished, she walked slowly back to the castle. The walk, even though deliberately prolonged, seemed to end too quickly.

"Elliana!" Brooke said, running over to greet her at the entrance to the Common Room. "It's so horrible…did you hear? Eight people murdered. EIGHT! Right outside of Hogsmeade. It's so horrible. They're going to cancel the rest of our Hogsmeade trips, I think. Either that or we'll be closely guarded. This is so awful. No one can go outside after nine o'clock unless escorted by a teacher. Everyone has to be in the Common Rooms by eleven except Prefects. This is really bad." Brooke began to breathe heavily and Elliana patted her friend on the back.

"Calm down, Brooke. Nothing is going to happen." Elliana said, seriously doubting the words herself. "Just think of the party tomorrow night." This cheered Brooke up, but Elliana still remained dubious.

"Right. Oh, and Elliana? Kaden Baggert is looking for you." Brooke winked and hurried back to her seat by the window. She peered outside thoughtfully, seeming to be waiting for an attack. Elliana spotted Kaden across the room, talking to some of his friends. Elliana approached and tried very hard not to listen to their conversation.

"Ah, Stormborne." Kaden said, noticing her. "I want you to meet Lucius Malfoy. He's going to get me a job this summer." Kaden glanced at Lucius and nodded at Elliana. She looked at the Malfoy boy. He was a seventh year. She had seen him around before. He was rather thin and had silvery blond hair. Elliana nodded politely.

"Malfoy."

"Miss Stormborne." Lucius drawled. He laughed softly at nothing in particular and Elliana hated him in that instant. "Baggert has told us about you. He seems to think you're worth meeting." Lucius gauged her reaction carefully, and Elliana tried very hard to keep her face emotionless.

"How nice." Elliana said flatly.

"He seems to think you have an ability with high-level charms." Lucius glanced at Kaden and then back to Elliana. He had gray eyes, she noted. Stormy gray eyes. Lucius watched her for a moment and then laughed again. "She doesn't say much, does she Baggert?" Lucius asked Kaden. Kaden slipped his hand in hers and smirked at Lucius.

"She doesn't have much to say, Malfoy." Kaden said, laughing. Lucius seemed to laugh too, having no reason to do otherwise. He handed a piece of parchment to another seventh year standing behind him.

"I want to see her do magic. Have her learn the Tempestas Hex. Or, if she prefers, we can duel." Lucius looked at Elliana with a silent challenge in his eyes. Everyone seemed to be waiting for her answer. Elliana knew that Lucius wanted her to duel- learning the hex would be the easy way out. She wasn't worried about getting hurt.

"We can duel." Elliana said, looking in Lucius' eyes. There was a surprise in them. He hadn't expected that, she realized. His friends laughed softly and Lucius nodded curtly.

"We duel, then. Tomorrow night, during the party." Lucius smirked at Elliana and swept past her, leading his friends with him. Kaden, however, did not leave. Elliana looked for his reaction to the challenge.

"I learn hexes for fun, Baggert. Don't worry about me." Elliana said, smiling. Kaden nodded and looked over her shoulder at Lucius' retreating figure.

"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about him."

Saturday sent the school into a flourish. There was no Quidditch game, so most people were restless. It was too early in the weekend to begin homework, so the students had to find other things to do. April was fast approaching, so all of the snow had melted long ago. It was too warm for butterbeer but too cold for lemonade. This seemed to disrupt the flow of life at Hogwarts, and most students mulled around bored out of their minds.

However, by four o'clock all of the fifth, sixth, and seventh year girls had started to think about the approaching party. All preparations would be made after dinner, but the thought process began the minute after the afternoon tea. Elliana sat on her bed reading a book of hexes while Brooke ran around frantically.

"Oh my gosh! David will be there! I hadn't even thought about that. Oh my gosh! What will I do! My shirt is wrinkled! My favorite shirt is wrinkled! I was planning on wearing that shirt!" Brooke threw her clothes around trying to find an acceptable substitute.

"Brooke, use a Wrinkle-Removing Spell." Elliana said absentmindedly. Brooke stood up straight, pondered the idea, and quickly removed the wrinkles from her favorite shirt. One problem solved. Only about fifty more yet to come. "I have to go now. My detention is before dinner. I have to scrub the third-floor bathrooms." Elliana set down her book and left Brooke to her own devices. She hurried through the scrubbing, completely wand-free, and then washed up for dinner. Elliana ate quickly and returned to her dorm.

Elliana put on a pair of muggle jeans and a dark blue sweater for the party. She wasn't so much worried about her appearance as she was the duel. It was against the rules to enchant clothing to act as armor, but Elliana did put on her bracelet. It was nothing special, but it made her feel better about facing a seventh-year in a duel. She couldn't explain it really.

Brooke came in shortly after Elliana finished getting ready and squealed loudly. Elliana looked at her friend in alarm and Brooke ran over, hugging her.

"Elliana! You look so pretty! I can't believe you're actually coming to this…you could be studying or something. Wow." Brooke bounced up and down, as she was apt to do, and then realized she had to get ready herself.

"I have an engagement at the party anyway." Elliana answered, putting in earrings. The earrings were each a set of swirling silver stars. They could be enchanted to move around, but that always made Elliana feel as if her ear was atomically rearranging itself. That was not a good feeling. She never used the enchantment.

"Oooooh!" Brooke said excitedly, changing into a black skirt and pulling on her favorite, wrinkle-free shirt. The shirt was a Parisian design, according to Brooke, and was bright pink with a blue pixie on the front. Elliana had to admit it was a lovely shirt. Brooke could never wear it during the week because of the uniforms, so she often wore it for special occasions like Hogsmeade or parties.

"Let's go." Natalie said excitedly a half an hour later. Elliana grabbed her wand and shut the door after her roommates. She followed them down through the Common Room and to the Great Hall. The tables had been pushed aside, much like at the ball, and a dance floor had been set up in the middle. However, near the fireplaces (one on each side of the hall), couches and armchairs had been placed. Elliana talked with Brooke and a seventh year Hufflepuff girl for quite a while before she saw Kaden motioning her over.

"Brooke, I'll be back in a few minutes." Elliana said, smiling a last time at the Hufflepuff. She walked over to Kaden and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Ready?"

"Anxious, are we?" Kaden laughed. "I was going to ask you to dance first." Elliana thought about it for a moment and looked at his eyes. They were twinkling with a happiness one did not usually outrightly find in Slytherins. She smiled.

"I don't want to dance. I want to duel." Elliana smirked and crossed her arms.

"I know, but Lucius said we didn't have to meet him until nine o'clock. That's not for a while, so we have time for a dance." Kaden reasoned this through, which highly amused Elliana. She shook her head.

"We'll walk slowly. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the Great Hall. She wanted to duel, and she wasn't going to waste her time dancing. Not tonight. At least not until the duel was over.

"Stormborne, I thought you said we were going to walk slowly!"

"Oh, right."

"You don't have to get yourself worked up over this-"

"I'm not worked up."

"He's impressed that you're even dueling him." Kaden slowed her down and laughed as she frowned. "You don't have anything to prove to him."

"Yes I do. You told him I was good with spells." Elliana said calmly.

"You are good with spells. You pulled off a spell well enough to set off the wards. Come on, in here." Kaden opened the door for her and she stepped into a long, empty room. The windows were dusty, and the floor creaked under her steps. She pulled out her wand and lit the torches, jumping back slightly as Lucius Malfoy was illuminated. Three of the boys from the Common Room were with him. Also, Wynton Ashwinder. Elliana forced back her annoyance with him and focused on the upcoming duel.

"Miss Stormborne. How very nice to see you." Lucius strode over to her and lifted her hand, kissing the back of it. She nodded her greeting. "We'll set the rules, then. Three spells each. Nothing permanent or irreversible- we want to enjoy the rest of the night, don't we?" Lucius laughed. Elliana nodded. "Ashwinder's my second."

"And Baggert mine." Elliana said softly. She was focusing herself. She knew which three spells she was going to use. They bowed and took their paces, turning to face each other.

"Frezium!" Elliana said loudly, causing small balls of ice to pelt Lucius. He laughed. She was working up to larger spells. She didn't want to drain herself, and her last spell would test that. Lucius was thrown slightly backwards by the force of the ice and yelled, "Flipendo!"

Elliana was hurled backwards into the wall, but quickly recovered.

"Producto Produxi!" Elliana shielded her eyes as the room lit up, blinding Lucius for a moment. She gathered her strength for the final spell, but as she raised her wand Lucius cast his last spell.

"Madesco!" Elliana cried out as a large stream of water shot toward her. She was completely soaked, but the water didn't stop. Elliana was vaguely aware of her tears falling. She lost her stream of consciousness in panic, and struggled to remember the words to her final spell. They slipped from her mind as the water continued to come.

"Finite Incantatem." She gasped for air as the water dissipated and looked up from the floor. She was doubled over, and Lucius was standing over her. He looked so sublime in that moment before he lifted his wand for his final curse.

"That's three, Stormborne. _Crucio._" Elliana writhed in pain as the spell hit her. She screamed once, and then lost herself in a dream-like state. A moment later, it seemed, she was lying in the dark room with Lucius standing over her still. He laughed and put his wand away. Elliana watched as he and his friends left the room, and was slightly aware of Kaden helping her to her feet. She ached all over, and she had lost the duel.

"Stormborne, do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" Kaden asked gently. Elliana shook her head. "You did well. Lucius was caught off-guard by the Mass Lumos."

"I was going to use the Tempestas Hex." Elliana said as they walked down the corridor. She was no longer wet- except for her hair- and supposed that Kaden had used a Drying Spell on her.

"He used the Cruciatus Curse. You had no chance." Kaden stopped her before they reached the Great Hall. "Do you really want to go back to the party?"

"Yes. I'm feeling better. And I think I want to dance."

One evening at the beginning of June, Elliana was studying for her exams in the Common Room. She was sitting at a table in the corner, occasionally looking up at the people in the room. The antics amused her. The girls all flirted madly, and the guys all thought they were the most handsome of the bunch. Elliana was glad to be away from this exchange of hormones. Of course, if she were to ask Brooke's opinion, her friend would tell her just what she thought. It was common consensus that Elliana and Kaden were, in fact, boyfriend and girlfriend. Nothing seemed to shake this impression.

Elliana's eyes caught sight of the newspaper she'd been too busy to read at lunch. A sick feeling rose in her stomach as she opened it. The front page proclaimed more murders in the village. Only three this time. That was last night. Elliana tried hard to remember last night…it had been right after ten, the newspaper said. Elliana had been in the Common Room. She had been studying and waiting to talk to Lucius, but he hadn't shown up by the time she had gone to bed. And that was at eleven. But, Lucius was a prefect. And so was Kaden…they were both allowed to stay out later.

Elliana wanted to throw up as she looked up. Kaden had caught her eyes from across the room. He stood up and walked over, sitting in the chair across from her. He took the newspaper and scanned it quickly. Elliana looked at him quizzically.

"Baggert, tell me." She said in a whisper. "The paper says that Darius Malfoy is facing an inquiry for his connections with this new Dark Wizard. Who's to say his son isn't the same?" Kaden shook his head.

"Stormborne, you don't know what you're talking about." Kaden leaned in closely. "You don't know…"

"Baggert, I _do_ know. I've been dreaming about it. I saw the murderers…and the dream finally followed them back- the castle, Baggert. I know the murderers are students here." Elliana said this with a deadly seriousness. It was still a whisper, but a very strong one.

"You can't dream, Stormborne." Kaden pointed out. Elliana had caught herself in a trap, it seemed. She paled. Kaden laughed softly. "Don't ask me, Elliana. I won't lie to you. I won't. So don't ask me. You don't understand."

"It's murder." Elliana protested, now sitting up very straight. Kaden shook his head. His blue eyes were full of sadness.

"It's power."


	5. Shrouded in Secrets

Part Five: Shrouded in Secrets

_If you were a king up there on your throne,  
would you be wise enough to let me go?  
For this queen you think you own  
wants to be a hunter again,_

_wants to see the world alone again_

Christmas time filled the halls of Hogwarts once again, and there was a buzzing of excitement. This excitement was very different from years past, however. Lord Voldemort, the terror in the darkness, was rising and everyone wanted to go home to their parents. Elliana, however, would be staying at Hogwarts once again. Remarkably, she was a Prefect this year- her sixth at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After the incident with the Dark Magic, Elliana would have thought her chances to be Head Girl or even a Prefect were completely destroyed. It was possible that Dumbledore had believed Conlon Baggert after all.

The train left in two hours to take the students home. Elliana was one of three Slytherins staying for the holidays. Wynton Ashwinder was staying, as usual, and Kaden Baggert was staying. Over the summer, Elliana and Kaden had grown closer. Elliana had come to accept that they had an unspoken relationship of being boyfriend and girlfriend. This was fine with her- she had actually come to appreciate and enjoy his company. She felt guilty, however, because she suspected that his staying at Hogwarts had a lot to do with her.

"Elliana," Brooke started, closing her trunk. "You know you could always come stay with me. I know you don't like to take handouts and stuff, but it really isn't charity if we're friends. You know that, right? My mother loves you- she'd be happy to have you stay at our house. Granted my father's cooking is awful-"

"That's okay, Brooke." Elliana said, smiling.

"Okay, if you say so. I just wanted you to know that the invitation is there. It isn't too late to change your mind, you know. I just-" Brooke grinned as Elliana pulled a box out of her trunk.

"Don't open it until Christmas." Elliana told Brooke, handing her the box. Brooke tucked it away happily and gathered the last of her things.

"I'd better be going. The carriages will be leaving for Hogsmeade any time now. Bye, Elliana." Brooke hugged Elliana and dragged her trunk out of the dorm. Elliana listened as the trunk bounced down the stairs. Every year, Elliana had reflected on how alone she had always been at Christmas. That was one good thing about having Kaden stay- she wouldn't be alone.

"Hello?" Elliana glanced up and saw Kaden standing in the doorway. He looked as though he had come from being outside. His cheeks were pink from the cold. Elliana smiled and set her book down.

"Helping your fan club with their trunks?" Elliana asked slyly. Kaden laughed and closed the door, sitting on Natalie's bed.

"They're a bunch of giggling girls, but they whine when something involves any sort of labor." Kaden winked at Elliana and she laughed. "How goes the studying?"

"I'm not studying." Elliana said, looking at her book.

"That's a first."

"It's Shakespeare." Elliana showed him the leather-bound volume. Her bookmark was a quarter of the way through _Much Ado About Nothing_.

"Then it's studying. How many plays do you have left?" Kaden asked, motioning to the book.

"Nine." Elliana put the book on her shelf. "But I'm done reading for today." She stretched and sat up. Her hair was falling out of its braid and she was still in her pajamas. She hadn't done a thing all day besides read, and it was already eleven in the morning. Elliana looked at Kaden expectedly. "What are we doing?"

"We could go for a walk." Kaden suggested, standing up. "It's a nice day outside. It would require you to get dressed, though." He smirked. Elliana groaned and fell back onto her pillow.

"Okay, I guess. No snowball fights!" Elliana said quickly. Kaden laughed and feigned a look of innocence.

"Would I do that?"

"And then the Faerie King switches it all back to normal and everyone lives happily ever after. Except the Faerie Queen, of course, who gets teased eternally for loving a donkey." Elliana said, finishing explaining the plot of _A Midsummer Night's Dream._ "Brooke says it was based on a true story."

"I suppose it was. Shakespeare was rather bitter about things." Kaden said as they neared the lake. He slipped his arm around her waist and pointed with his free hand towards a tree. "Clabbert."

"Oh!" Elliana exclaimed excitedly at the sight of the small, frog-monkey creature. It had a large bulge in its head that would turn red when it sensed danger. Of course, it was sleeping now. All of the most interesting sorts of creatures were asleep when you saw them.

Elliana looked away from the lake as they approached it. She hated water, still. Kaden hadn't pestered her about it after the duel, but it was always in the back of his mind. She could tell. He would always hold her a little more tightly when they neared the water- as if to protect her from an evil that he could not see.

"Elliana?" Kaden asked softly. He had begun to call her by her first name. Elliana figured that after a summer of letter writing and almost a year of a very odd relationship, it was about time. "Do you want to go back?" Elliana shook her head, and Kaden looked a bit relieved. Elliana knew that he didn't want to be in the castle anymore than he had to. He hated the new curfews, but he could tell she suffered more. No longer could she sneak out to dance. And she wouldn't practice where people might walk in on her.

"Mr. Darley says that there are Aurors dying." Elliana said after a long silence. "Lots of Aurors. Voldemort wants power, and he's getting it through destruction." Kaden nodded and sighed.

"You aren't affected, Elliana."

"I am." She protested. "I see it every day. I read the newspaper articles and I see the owls that people get. Always black. Everyone in the hall holds their breath, hoping that the owl isn't for them. Hoping that their family is still okay. It seems we don't have to worry. It seems we aren't affected. But we are." Elliana took a deep breath and closed her eyes, pushing away the visions of the green light and fires.

"People are fighting. They're fighting a battle that they can't win." Kaden said calmly. "Voldemort is powerful- already more powerful than anyone. And it's only just beginning. Power is rising across the world. People are dying because they fight. Only because they fight." Kaden stopped and looked at her. "You don't have to worry." He hugged her tightly and then smiled to cheer her up.

"I have to worry."

"No."

"Yes, I do. I don't deserve not to have to worry." Elliana bit her lip.

"Malfoy wants a favor." Kaden said, changing the subject.

"Yes?"

"He wants you to develop a potion." Kaden said, beginning to walk again. Elliana nodded and walked with him. "It needs to protect against wards. Like, let people pass undetected." Kaden looked at her as she processed the information and began to develop the potion in her mind. "Please, don't ask questions."

Late Christmas Eve, Elliana was sitting in the Common Room finishing the plans for the potion. She had most of the properties figured out- she just had to determine which ingredients would give the best results. Elliana had her Potions book opened to the master list of ingredients, and her kit was opened on the other side of her. In front of her, vials and beakers bubbled at their own will on the table.

"Kaden?" Elliana called across the empty Common Room. Kaden, who had been reading silently in a chair in the corner, sat up and listened. "Do you have Affrat in your kit? I'm out."

"Affrat is used in Sleeping Draughts." Kaden answered. Elliana nodded. She leaned forward and checked the master list.

"I know. I figured I can use it to counter drowsiness if I combine it with Redweed. It's a common side effect of using magic in warded areas. I've heard about wizards falling asleep right in the middle of an incantation." Elliana smirked. "Affrat?"

"Right." Kaden said, without questioning her further. It was almost midnight, and being a Prefect he had been up since very early that morning. He was in no state of mind to question her judgment. Elliana smiled to herself and walked up the stairs to his room.

"Affrat…" Elliana muttered to herself as she looked through his Potions kit. She found it fairly quickly and turned to leave. Then, something caught her eye. It was a scorched piece of parchment with emerald ink. By the looks of it, it had been enchanted not to burn. Apparently, someone had thought this a bad idea. Elliana picked it up and looked at it. On the sheet of parchment were sketchings- a skull, a serpent, and finally the converging of the two. Under these, in a slanted script, was the word _Morsmordre_. Elliana put the paper back where she found it and gripped the vial of Affrat tightly. She hurried back downstairs.

"Found it?" Kaden asked, nodding the answer to his question when he spotted the vial. Elliana sat down to work again and said nothing for at least an hour. She pushed the images out of her mind and tried to concentrate on her work. Always on her work. A little past one in the morning, Kaden walked over and sat on the arm of the couch. "Happy Christmas, then."

Elliana looked up, startled that the time had passed so quickly. She smiled, though, and put her book aside. Elliana closed up the potions and sighed. Kaden nodded in agreement.

"I have a gift for you." Elliana said, getting up from the couch. She retrieved the package from her room and handed it to him. The package was wrapped in gold paper and tied with a silver ribbon. It seemed to be the sort of wrapping something special was wrapped in. Kaden thought he'd be lucky enough to get socks from Elliana.

Kaden opened the paper slowly, careful not to tear it. If the gift was wrapped in a wizarding shop, the paper tended to get whiny if it was torn. He opened the lid of the box and looked at her in confusion. It was a silver ring, but it was far too thick to go on a finger.

"Put it on your wand." Elliana explained. "It's enchanted against Priori Incantatem." She said this very pointedly, but if it reached Kaden it was masked. "It wipes the memory of your wand- even if it's removed, the spell won't work on it. I hope you find it useful." Elliana added. Kaden lifted his eyes and looked at her with some sort of emotion- amusement? Wonder? She couldn't tell. Elliana smirked slightly.

"It should be very useful." Kaden said darkly. Elliana feared him in that moment- the intensity behind his words. Of course, she had known exactly what he would be getting away with now. It was only confirmed by the drawings. Elliana had wanted to protect Kaden, though, and it seemed that keeping him out of trouble was the way to do that. Elliana had studied the trials- Priori Incantatem was often the only evidence they had. Aside from the Living Memory Probe. Elliana was currently working on a charm to protect him from that as well. "I have a present for you as well." Kaden said, brightening up. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box. It was not wrapped, but tied with a gold ribbon. Elliana slid off the ribbon with ease.

"Kaden…this is beautiful." Elliana breathed after lifting the lid. Inside the box was a silver bracelet, seemingly engraved with runes. She couldn't imagine what it did, but she could feel the magic radiating from it. Elliana looked up as Kaden smiled. "Dare I ask what it is?"

"It's protective, like your present was. It protects against this and that." Kaden smirked playfully and pulled out his wand. He slipped the ring on at the base, and watched as the ring shrank and fitted itself to the wand. Elliana silently prayed that it would work.

"Well, I'll feel better about facing this and that." Elliana muttered. Kaden laughed softly and made her Potions book levitate. After he was finished, Elliana pulled out her wand and took his in her hand.

"_Priori Incantatem._" She said clearly, watching as a blue light swirled around his wand. Aside from that, nothing happened. She removed the ring and repeated the spell. Again, the light brought forth no images of past spells. Kaden nodded approvingly and slipped the ring back on his wand.

Elliana took her bracelet and Potions things up to her dorm. She changed into her pajamas and brushed her hair. As she turned to leave, Kaden was standing in the doorway. He looked a bit regal, and she pondered how she must look in her boring blue tee shirt and green pants.

Kaden stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked over to her bookshelf, looking through the titles. Elliana watched him carefully and decided that he meant no harm. Kaden pulled out her volume of Shakespeare and looked it over slowly. She basked in silent amusement. Elliana sat on her bed and closed her eyes. It was peaceful in an eerie sort of way.

_Time was frozen. A cloaked figure stood in a dungeon, looking down at meager bodies at his feet. They weren't dead, maybe. It was hard to tell. They looked to be in pain. Their faces were so familiar…like an old song in the night. So familiar. The woman had flaming red hair, although it looked rather limp and withered in the dungeon. The man's hair was going gray…thinning a bit._

Elliana's eyes opened and she grasped onto the vision. She looked at Kaden, who was staring at her with vacant worry. Elliana got up and strode over to him with a look of pure fury on her face. Kaden seemed unfazed and she slapped him hard across the face.

"Don't touch them! Don't you dare touch them or I swear I'll-" Elliana was abruptly cut off as she hit the wall. Kaden pinned her wrists to her sides and looked into her eyes. There was no gentleness in his stare, the lack of which she had seen only a few times before, but rather hatred and disbelief.

"Don't ever threaten me, Stormborne," Kaden growled. Elliana was pulled out of her reverie by the tone of his voice. He seemed venomous. "I don't take kindly to threats. I don't expect it from you or anyone else."

"You can't hurt them." Elliana said flatly.

"Whom?"

"My _family_." Elliana jerked away from his grip and started massaging her wrists. She backed up, attempting to put distance between them. Kaden didn't even look at her. He was staring at the wall. "You said it wouldn't affect me. That I wouldn't be touched."

"Then you have to get Conner to step down from his office." Kaden turned toward Elliana and shook his head. His eyes were still fiery. "Get him to step down and I'll get it stopped."

"I…You _are_ doing it." Elliana's eyes widened. Kaden said nothing. He turned away again and walked toward the door. "Kaden, please."

"I'm trusting you, Elliana. I have to trust you. You've known for a long time, I know. It's my secret. You have your own, you see. The world is full of secrets." Kaden walked up to her. He put his hand on her cheek and smiled as she nodded. "Happy Christmas."

Elliana and Kaden stood outside in the cold, shivering. They were on the road leading to the village outside of Hogsmeade, and Elliana had a bad feeling about what they were about to do. Her potion was ready, and they were going to test it. Elliana cast the ward and watched as Kaden swallowed the potion. He stepped inside the boundaries of her ward and performed the Cruciatus Curse on a small mouse from the dungeons. The alarm didn't go off, and all was well. He stepped out of the boundaries and let the mouse go as Elliana dropped the ward.

"How long will it last?" Kaden asked. Elliana thought for a moment and picked up the vial. "I mean, it is indefinite?"

"No…of course not. It will last up to three hours, needing to be renewed after that." Elliana tucked the vial in her robes and turned to him. "So, what happens now?"

"You can take the potion to Lucius. I'll come with you, of course." Kaden took her hand as they began to walk back towards the castle. "Lucius will test it, just as we have just done, and we hope he finds it satisfactory. Once he does, you'll be rewarded and things will be well." Kaden looked up at the full moon. It was always an odd sensation working magic under the full moon- it was usually three times stronger than any other time of the month.

"And I'll be finished?" Elliana asked.

"For the time being. You are doing great things."

"Thank you."

"Any remorse?"

"Not really. I'm not hurting people." Elliana glanced at the castle looming in the distance. "Kaden…I put a Limitation Spell on it." Kaden stopped and turned to her, taking hold of her arms.

"You did what?"

"It can't be used against Hogwarts' wards. That's all." Elliana sighed in relief as Kaden nodded slowly. He wasn't mad.

"I see. Well, there should be no need to attack Hogwarts anyway. We'd be too easily identified." Kaden thought aloud as they began to walk again. Elliana nodded and looked at the moon looming in the distance. For a moment, the clouds parted and the full orb was visible. It screamed to her of power and control and things of that nature. Elliana was merely playing the hand Fate dealt.

"Malfoy." Kaden stepped out of the shadows as Lucius entered the room. He seemed like a king in that moment- much as he had at Hogwarts. Elliana stood next to Kaden and watched as Lucius extended his hand. Kaden shook it firmly and motioned to Elliana. Lucius kissed her hand and bowed his head.

"Miss Stormborne. I am honored to see you once again. Your talents will be much appreciated. I trust you found the potion easily created?" Lucius smirked. Elliana tilted her head in a partial shrug. She stepped forward and withdrew a scroll from her robes.

"Instructions for the brewing." Elliana said without emotion. "And the potion is here." She handed him a vial, much like the one Kaden had carried when the potion was tested. Lucius nodded to one of his associates, and Elliana noted that the other four or five looked very smug indeed. The chosen spell caster pulled out his wand and created a ward. The ward extended past Elliana and she wondered for a moment if he was going to curse her again. Lucius drained the vial and stepped into the ward, waving his wand and muttering under his breath. A green light shot from his wand and Elliana feared for a part of a moment that the spell would hit her. However, it was aimed for a snake that had appeared by her feet. The ward alarms did not go off, and the snake lay still. The potion had succeeded.

"Excellent work." Lucius said with an evil glint in his eye. He strode over to Elliana and smirked. "The potion will be put to good use." Elliana supposed that it would be, and a nagging guilt stepped out of the shadows. She ignored it, however. Guilt would do her no good at all.

"She's put a Limitation Spell on it, Malfoy." Kaden spoke up. Elliana saw a fury in Lucius' eyes as he looked from Kaden back to her. "It won't work in the Hogwarts' wards." Lucius sneered and looked to Elliana.

"Hogwarts? You silly girl." Lucius turned on his heel and walked to his associates; robes swishing. Elliana bit her lip and felt stupid. Of course. The only reason they'd want to attack Hogwarts would be to get to Dumbledore, and they'd never want to fight him on his own turf. That'd be like fighting a fox in its den. Elliana shivered. Kaden squeezed her hand lightly and kept his gaze on Lucius' back. "The potion works for…"

"Three hours." Elliana said icily. Lucius nodded and turned his back on them again. Kaden motioned her towards the door and she started walking. She wanted out of the room anyhow. It was painted and decorated in black, except for the gold light from the torches on the wall. It made her feel caged. Caged beasts lost their wits and would strike out at the first passing hand.

_The letter was tattered and torn. A girl with odd violet eyes looked over the envelope and opened it with care. She removed the parchment and opened the letter cautiously. The handwriting was shaky, as if written after a prolonged sickness or depression. Like someone couldn't quite gather the words._

My darling daughter,

I wish you the best, my princess. I wish you all the happiness in life. I am beginning to realize I shall never go home. My darling, please love your grandmother. She's an old woman, and is lost to the love of the world. Obey her, and honor her wishes. My dear, I won't be able to see you grow up. I wanted very badly to see you get your letter to Hogwarts, and meet new people. I wish you the best in that.

I love you, dear. I will always love you, no matter where I am. You are beautiful, and I wish I could see you grow into that beauty. It's getting cold, darling. So very cold. My dear, I love you. I cannot tell you enough. You're the only child I have, and I'd hate to lose you. I have a gift for you, darling. I made it long ago, and I only hope it shall get to you safely. My daughter, always remember who you are.

_The letter seemed endless as the last word floated in the mind of the girl. She tucked the letter back into the dusty old drawer as if to preserve the memory. She couldn't destroy this…The girl came to a realization that would haunt her forever. She could never truly kill the man without separating herself from her mother forever. As she left the house, her eyes glanced one last time at the nameplate on the door. _Baggert.

Elliana opened her eyes and sighed. She couldn't continue to zone out in History of Magic class. Sooner or later, Binns would get suspicious. She doubted this strongly, but it seemed as though her visions only came in this class and Transfiguration. She looked over and noticed that Brooke was asleep beside her. Elliana found this amusing. Twas true- even though you could see right through Binns, he was extremely dense.

Elliana jotted down notes as the ghost rambled on about various wizards and witches founding cities. She wasn't at all interested in this sort of history- wars and things excited her. Aside from the fact that goblins had rebelled at least one hundred times, she found the studies entertaining. Elliana had to be the only one, judging from the snores around her.

"Wizarding cities popped up all over Europe in the late eighteen hundreds. Before that, it seemed that magical communities were confined to areas around the Mediterranean. England grew the most quickly, followed by Ireland and Norway. The wizarding world in Ireland could never agree on laws and such in the early years. The Norwegian wizards and witches were constantly fighting with the tribal powers- the old ways. England was the most successful at peace.

The biggest Irish wizarding community was founded by the great-grandfather of the current Irish Minister of Magic- Kent Warwood. Peter Warwood saw this great vision of an empire. He was a rather dark wizard." Professor Binns rambled on and on, and Elliana felt herself slipping away again. She didn't know what was wrong with her today. Then, a sentence caught her ear.

"Wesley Evenua created the wards and charms for wizards to gather unnoticed in Bergen. This brought a new change to Norway- magic. Soon, the Norwegian wizards became powerful. This caught the eye of the tribal leaders, who had an eye for such things. The leaders were threatened." Professor Binns moved on to compare this to England as Elliana was thrown violently into a vision.

_"You cannot marry him. You are throwing away all that we have worked for. You are stupid, girl." An old hag scolded, glaring at a young girl with fiery red curls. The girl had to be about sixteen, and it was apparent her ideas were not appreciated. The old hag pushed her. "We have worked so hard."_

_"For war?" The girl sneered. "You have worked so hard to see our people killed constantly by a force that we cannot control. You have worked so hard because you feel threatened. You no longer have the power, grandmother. It's been taken from you." The girl walked out of the small cottage and ran to the docks. She held her skirts and climbed onto a boat. All onboard gave her a watchful stare. The girl shivered._

_"What did she say?" A young man asked, scooping her up and kissing her on the cheek. The girl frowned. She sighed._

_"We'll have to do this in secret."_

"And then she cursed Alison in front of everyone and Alison fell down the stairs. I think she broke something. Madam Pomfrey says it doesn't look good at all. Of course she can fix it, but Alison's got a few broken bones and blue skin. All of this over a silly boy. Can you imagine?" Brooke sighed, sitting on the couch in the Slytherin Common Room. Elliana had heard rumors about someone cursing Alison in the Entry Hall, but she hadn't known what to believe. "Do you think we should go give her flowers or something? She might need a hug. After this ordeal-" Elliana laughed softly.

"Slytherins don't give flowers. We teach people hexes to use against their opponents the next time someone threatens to turn them blue. All of this would have been fixed with a simple Empathy Spell." Elliana rolled up her parchment and tied it to the leg of Brooke's owl. She had been writing home to check on Mr. Darley. Apparently, there had been some attacks on the Irish Ministry. Almost immediately Elliana panicked and ran to Kaden for reassurance. He said that the attacks had not been from Lord Voldemort. Probably only an uprising of poor, Irish wizards. Elliana noted that the Daily Prophet had not clarified.

"It would not have been fixed. Alison still would have been hurt- but someone else would have known exactly how she felt. I don't get you, Elliana. Sometimes your idea of revenge is completely twisted. By the way, did you ever finish Othello?" Brooke moved smoothly into her second subject.

"Quite a while ago." Elliana said absentmindedly, opening the high window for the owl. She let the cold air of the night dance on her face. Although the attacks in the village had calmed, the students of Hogwarts were not let outside past the established curfew.

"That's good." Brooke said, beginning to brush her hair. April had brought rain to the school, and Brooke's hair did not appreciate that a bit. Elliana hated the rain with a passion, but she always made it a point to tell Brooke just how frizzy her hair got during Herbology. "So, have you started studying for exams yet? You usually start a couple months before anyone else. I haven't seen you studying, so I was thinking you have a secret plot this year."

"I'm studying a bit. I'm not too worried." Elliana didn't feel worried, and this was a first for her. She had a better focus on things, it seemed, as of late. She had gathered herself together and absorbed information better than ever before. This made most of the school rather annoyed, but Brooke found it entertaining.

"Of course you aren't. Just think about all of the extra exams we have to take next year- N.E.W.T.s and things like that. But we'll get our licenses and that will be happy. I can't decide whether I want to do something completely normal like being a secretary or something completely off the wall like hunting for Demiguises." Brooke looked forlorn as if those were two very plausible choices. Elliana laughed.

"Go for the Demiguises. You'll make a fortune from Invisibility Cloaks." Elliana pulled her Care of Magical Creatures book into her lap and opened it to the Demiguise description. She pushed it over to Brooke. The brunette read it silently; eyes widened in surprise.

"Can you really get that much for one Demiguise?" Brooke asked in disbelief. "I mean, it's just a small animal, right?"

"Right. And yes, you can."

"I've found my Calling."

The night was warm, and the moon was lost behind clouds. The castle loomed over her as if scolding her for something that she shouldn't be doing. The forest looked foreboding as she approached it. She would have to go in…and that scared her. The girl pulled her hood up on her cloak and bit her lip. Into the dark, Forbidden Forest.

The girl found no path to guide her, no moon to light her way, and no courage to keep her company. She was alone. After about fifteen minutes of a Searching Spell, she found what she was looking for. A small, ivory colored flower. The girl picked five, and tucked them into a small basket. She turned to leave. As she did, she looked up at the moon coming from beneath the clouds. The swirling of the skies disoriented her, and she was lost. Lost.

The girl walked in a direction she believed would lead her out of the forest and gasped as something stepped in her path. She looked up at the shining eyes of the creature before her and blinked. The creature was a woman, clad in a dress of leaves and matted twigs. A dryad.

"Help me." The girl spoke. The dryad seemed to laugh silently. The dryad's hair was a dull green, tangled and blowing in the rising breeze. The girl was afraid. This creature wasn't helping her.

"Child, you have set foot on my land. You have marred my tree. Why should I let you find direction?" The dryad spoke in a floaty, high pitched voice. A look of confusion passed over the girl's face. "Child, the flowers."

"I didn't know." The girl said softly. "I need them."

"Then you cannot leave!" The dryad screamed, shattering the blanket of night and lunging towards the girl, knocking her to the ground. The girl saw nothing…all was black.

Elliana stared at Brooke in disbelief.

"Our housemates are dropping like Diricawl feathers." Elliana said, still shocked. She just got news from Brooke that Natalie was in the Hospital Wing alongside Alison. Apparently, Natalie had been pulled out of the Forbidden Forest, severely unconscious. Elliana didn't know what Natalie could have been doing in the forest, and it didn't really occur to her to ask. When Brooke dragged her to the Hospital Wing to visit their dormmates, Elliana stood there silently.

"Alison, the bones will be healed soon." Brooke reassured the whining girl. Alison moaned about seeing her life flashing before her eyes when she glanced over at the still-dead-to-the-world Natalie and yelped. "Alison, we tripped Kate yesterday while she was walking to Herbology. She rolled all the way down the hill and fell into the lake. I think a few of the boys got detention for orchestrating the situation. We got even, Alison, and you'll be better soon. Then you can push her into the lake yourself." Brooke patted Alison on the arm.

"Damn it, Brooke. I have a hundred bones shattered in my arm and you feel the need to pat me reassuringly. Are you insane?" Alison screamed, causing Madam Pomfrey to glare at her. Brooke looked at Alison with pity for a minute and then punched her in the arm. Alison screamed and Brooke walked over to Natalie smugly.

"Brooke." Elliana hissed. "I cannot believe you. Assaulting injured people."

"She has her wand- she could have used it." Brooke said nonchalantly. She looked at Natalie and blinked. The girl had been unconscious for the whole day, it seemed. Brooke leaned forward and picked a leaf out of Natalie's hair. "Dryad." Brooke said easily, as if naming the capitol of England.

"What?"

"A dryad knocked her unconscious."

"How can you tell?"

"I'm the best in our class at Herbology, remember? This kind of leaf is very poisonous to any animal but the dryad. It's not found on trees. It's only found as the garment of the creature. I wonder what Natalie did to piss it off." Brooke finished this astute theory and laughed softly. "Natalie the Quidditch star…in the Forbidden Forest. She won't be able to play for the final two or three games- they won't let her. What could Natalie have wanted so badly to sacrifice Quidditch?" Brooke turned this over in her head. "We should find out."

"No, Brooke. We are not Aurors. We are not Gryffindors. We are not stupid. We are not going in that forest. Not happening." Elliana took the leaf from Brooke and pulled out her wand. With a single word, the leaf disintegrated and the ashes fell to the floor. Brooke stared at Elliana in disbelief.

"That was our only proof!"

"Exactly."

Elliana hated the room. It was still as dark as ever, and Lucius was still as smug as he had been in March. Kaden stood beside her and Elliana watched carefully as Lucius approached them. He looked fiercely proud tonight, and that scared Elliana. She didn't know what he had up his sleeve, but she was about to find out.

"Baggert." Lucius said, shaking Kaden's hand. Elliana wanted to be quick about this. "Miss Stormborne." He took her hand and kissed it regally, meeting her eyes. He could see her discomfort, she knew, and he basked in it. Always make your enemies weak. "I have something that will benefit you both. Behold, the mark of the Dark Lord." Lucius pulled up his left sleeve and showed them the sketch Elliana had seen in Kaden's room- a skull with a serpent tongue. "There is power rising, Baggert. Take it now. Soon, the world will see a war that few have ever known. The ranks are growing strong. Join us now. We will welcome you into the circle."

"I will help you, Malfoy, but not under a brand." Kaden clenched his fists. Lucius' eyes flared and Elliana's wand was out before his was. He glared at her and put down his wand.

"You do nothing to protect yourself." Lucius said, sneering at Kaden. "To protect the ones you care about." His eyes drifted to Elliana. "She is so vulnerable." Lucius touched her cheek we his wand.

"She got him out of the office, Malfoy. He stepped down." Kaden said defensively. Lucius laughed. He put up a gloved hand for Kaden to stop talking.

"We have control of the Irish Ministry. That is not the issue." Lucius pushed Kaden backwards. Lucius seemed to loom in the torchlight like a fallen angel; so surreal. Elliana prayed silently that Mr. Darley was safe. She never knew anymore. She got letters from Kristin, but hardly any from Mr. Darley.

"Malfoy, stop." Elliana spoke up. Lucius turned and looked at her expectedly. "You don't know what you're saying. My magic is valuable- nothing more." Lucius laughed coldly.

"You do not know what you say, girl. You are the most valuable possession I have control of right now. That's right. I have control. Don't look shocked. You are valuable to me and valuable to him." Lucius motioned at Baggert. "You are valuable to the Dark Lord, even though he knows not of your existence. He could know, if he chose. But I do not choose to tell him just yet. There's the control- I tell him, and he has you for a servant. I can keep my mouth shut and you have your freedom. Do not tell me what I do not know." Lucius turned his back on her and gave the signal for one of his associates to lead them out.

"Be back here on the first Saturday of May. Malfoy wants plans for a new Stunning Spell- a more permanent one." The associate told Kaden and Elliana. Elliana nodded at the instructions and walked with Kaden to the fireplace in the home's living room from where they could Floo. Elliana sighed as she glanced at the pictures on the mantle- pictures of the people that had died under a green sky.

_The violet-eyed girl sighed softly. She glanced over at him. Taking a daring chance, she moved closer to him and put a hand against each of his shoulders, looking out at the lake._

_"You talk in riddles, as do I. Your words are as plain as the moon in the sky, and yet, you fear them. You fear that you could ever be like the stars, that fail to hold differences against their neighbors. And yet, you fear nothing."_

_The girl looked into his stormy gray eyes. He had won, she knew. _

_"You've taught me much in one night, but yet, you remain naïve to what you yourself should have learned. I know you…you've built up a brick wall around yourself. A safe place that no one can penetrate. And yet, a tiny part of you cries out in the darkness. Far away behind your walls, only the stars can hear you." The girl bit her lip, and stepped back for a moment. She couldn't tell how he'd taken her words. If you've already stepped to the ledge, you might as well jump._

_After much debate with herself, the violet-eyed girl kissed him on the cheek, and turned toward the castle, starting to walk away._

"It isn't safe what they desire,

Star-crossed lovers fighting fire."

Destiny smiled, "Although their strength I do admire."

"Rhiannon, wait." The boy called, running after her. "We are so different, and we break the boundaries that our families have set." The violet-eyed girl, Rhiannon, stopped and turned to face him. The boy continued, "You are the fire, and I am ice. We are clashing forces, as our families would have us be."

"Your knowledge deceives you." Rhiannon answers quietly.

"As my eyes are deceived, let the stars follow suit, as they are the eyes of the world for say." The boy smiled slightly, touching her arm. She stepped closer. "The forces of the world can combine to do surprising things- ice storms in the desert, fires in the snow. Let us be together and show the world our force- the power that we draw from within ourselves to conquer."

"Alas, it is true. But the sky claims powers of both. The stars burn bright in the night, and yet the beautiful moon controls the waters of the earth. And who shall hear them sing, if both are conquered? Let both fire and ice live, and both of their strengths survive. They must exist as two separate forces. The world would crumble if either bowed to the other." Rhiannon smirked slightly and ended the poetic exchange- metaphors for the words both feared to speak.

Elliana regretted coming to the Hall for dinner- there were too many voices and not enough peace. She wasn't eating. She couldn't eat. Tonight was her meeting with Lucius Malfoy, and Elliana had a very bad feeling that her world was going to spin. Maybe it was nerves- Lucius scared her. Elliana couldn't help but feel it was something else.

Halfway through the meal, time froze as a black owl entered the Hall. Everyone watched it carefully, dreading the news it held in its talons. A general sigh could be heard as it passed over the Hufflepuffs, then the Ravenclaws. The Gryffindors sighed collectively as well. Everyone in Slytherin held their breath as the owl swooped past them.

Except Elliana. The owl dropped its letter in front of her and she could feel three hundred sets of eyes on her as she picked up the envelope. Instead of opening it in front of everyone, she stood up and walked out of the hall. Kaden followed her and shut the doors behind him. In the Entry Hall, Elliana looked at him cautiously. The envelope in her hand was still unopened, but Kaden could feel the blame radiating from her.

Elliana sighed and opened the envelope, unfolding the letter slowly. She read it silently through three times before the message hit her.

_Miss Elliana Stormborne,_

_We regret to inform you that the Killing Curse was used at your household at 5:46 this evening. Although your house was sealed with wards, the curse went through unnoticed until a member of your family found the deceased. Mr. Conner Darley is dead. We mourn your loss._

_With regrets,_

_Kent Warwood_


	6. Changing Tides

Part Six: Changing Tides

_Oh, mirror in the sky  
What is love  
Can the child within my heart rise above  
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides  
Can I handle the seasons of my life?_

_The girl never wept. She sat by the lake, looking into the waters. Giving into the waters. The waters sang to her. She wanted to drown. She heard him coming. She blamed him. How could he have let this happen? The girl winced as he knelt next to her and touched her shoulders._

_"I'm sorry. I didn't know."_

_"You knew. You always knew. How could you? You promised!" The girl turned away from him and pulled her cloak around her tightly. The boy sighed. He was torn up inside, she could tell from that sigh._

_"I love you." The boy said, stepping out on the proverbial limb. She had known, secretly. It was a threat as much as an endearment. She glared at the waters, mentally cursing him. Thinking of the ways that she would curse him._

_"That love is gone." She said flatly. "Only ice remains."_

Elliana sat at the table, doing homework. She was used to having Brooke at the house on Fridays, but Brooke was away in Belgium. Elliana sat alone, eating her sandwich and writing a Potions essay. The doorbell rang and Elliana sighed. Probably the postman, asking questions again.

"Kaden?" Elliana asked in disbelief as she opened the door. Kaden handed her roses and stepped into the house. Elliana couldn't figure him out. Kaden smiled slightly and shrugged.

"An apology."

"But Slytherins don't give flowers." Elliana said, shutting the door behind him and following him into the hall. He stopped and turned around, blue eyes twinkling.

"Well, I thought the hex was out of the question considering I'm the offender." Elliana laughed softly and walked into the kitchen to put the roses in water. Kristin was at the shop, as she often was during the day. It had been hardest for Kristin, Elliana reflected.

"Kaden, you were under stress." Elliana called.

"I was undressed? What?" Kaden asked, peeking into the kitchen.

"Under stress."

"Easily confused."

"You didn't know what you were doing."

"I'm dyslexic."

"I understand completely."

"I get confused."

"But to have said that-"

"I say things I don't mean." Elliana put the roses down and walked over to him, slipping her hand in his. Kaden laughed and followed her out of the kitchen. He had never been to the house before.

"The grand tour." Elliana said, fifteen minutes later. They stood back in the living room and Elliana looked at him with amusement. "Is that it? To say you're sorry?"

"I can't very well do it on the train, can I?" Kaden asked. Elliana shrugged. Kaden had graduated last year, and would not be coming back to the school for any good reason. Elliana recalled that the last bit of the year was a blur. After Conner's death, she had been numb. The trip to Lucius' lair had been a disaster- Elliana had ended up cursing Lucius, therefore receiving the Cruciatus Curse herself. When she had come to, Kaden had called her stupid for crossing Lucius Malfoy in the first place.

Elliana hadn't talked to him since then. It had been lonely, but she had her grief to comfort her. Lately, she had been having dreams of someone else having a very similar experience. It seemed that in the dreams the blame had been wrongfully passed. Elliana wondered if the charm was wearing off. Maybe it just guarded against nightmares. For Elliana, this was also true. Lucius had not killed Conner Darley. Elliana wasn't on any life quest to find the killer, but she was waiting for the person to try again. She'd be ready this time. She'd be ready.

"Elliana, don't think about it."

"I'm not."

"You are. I can tell." Kaden spun her into a hug and kissed her hair. She sighed and smiled, pushing the thoughts of revenge to the back of her mind. It was summer, Elliana thought, and she needed to relax. "So, Miss Stormborne, where are we going for dinner tonight?"

"My dining room. Kristin's cooking." Elliana pulled out of the hug and put her sandwich plate in the sink. She put her books away and wiped off the table. "She'll be happy to have you if you want to stay." Elliana pushed open the door to the dining room and made sure the table was fairly clean. It was- freshly polished by the house elf.

"Meeting the parental units? Do I want to do this?" Kaden asked from the doorway. Elliana looked up and nodded. "Fine, I can stay. I don't have to be back at work until Sunday anyway."

"You work in Bulgaria, right?" Elliana asked, trying to remember from the plans he had told her about before Conner's death.

"Yes. Putting up wards and renewing them and such." Kaden helped her lift two candlesticks down from the shelf. Elliana put them on the table and went to get candles. Two floated in the room just as she opened the door.

"You are such a show-off." Elliana said, taking the candles and putting them in the holders. Kaden smirked and twirled his wand. "Mr.-I-Have-A-License."

"I worked hard for my magic." Kaden said, feigning offense.

"I'm so very sure."

"Things that tend to get stolen- paintings, artifacts. Things like that. I work in museums mostly." Kaden answered, having finished with the pizza that Kristin made. Elliana cleared the table while Kaden talked to Kristin and her husband. Kristin seemed impressed, thus far.

"Is it enough for a living, boy?"

"Never you mind his tone, Kaden. What he means is are you well-off?" Kristin asked sweetly, and Elliana knew that this would open a line of questions to see if Kaden was worth "approving." Kristin seemed convinced that Kaden was perfect for Elliana. Elliana made sure to busy herself in the kitchen.

"Yes, madam. I'm very lucky to have this job- it pays better than most. Also, I'm looking to purchase a home in Bulgaria. I have a flat currently, and I don't think it's very suitable to raise a family in. And of course, I eventually hope to have a family." Kaden smiled as Kristin looked pleased- he had said the right thing.

"But Bulgaria's such a cold place." Kristin said, a new worry passing over her.

"Only in the highest mountains. My father has a home there, and he brags about the joys of life there constantly." Kristin nodded, sipping her tea.

"So, Kaden, what exactly is going on between you and Elliana?" Kristin's husband asked bluntly. Kaden laughed softly and smiled at the man. Of course, there was always a protective father.

"Sir, with all due respect, you'd have to ask her."

"Don't you know, boy?"

"Yes, sir, but as she is your-"

"Kaden, just answer his question." Elliana said from the doorway. Kaden jumped, startled, and Kristin's husband seemed surprised as well. Elliana smirked. Kaden ran his fingers through his hair and looked thoroughly embarrassed. Soon enough, he collected himself.

"We've been dating for a while, sir. Since last summer." Kaden watched as Kristin's husband shifted uncomfortably. He had obviously expected something much worse- like finding out that they had eloped during the day. They hadn't eloped, and they wouldn't have told if they had.

"They never seemed to care before tonight." Elliana sighed. Kaden nodding, shrugging. They sat on the porch swing in Elliana's backyard. It was warm for nighttime, but there was a cool breeze. Unfortunately, it wasn't Hogwarts. Elliana wanted to go to Hogwarts again very badly.

"They're trying to look out for you." Kaden answered, slowly rubbing his sickle flat. It seemed to be his goal- to have a sickle with no markings. It wasn't really working, but whenever he held it up for her inspection, she'd pretend she saw a difference.

"They're being nosy."

"What would you have said?" Kaden asked teasingly. Elliana looked at him for a moment and then thought about the question. She had been glad she hadn't been asked at dinner. Now that she was being asked, she was equally embarrassed.

"I don't know. I guess we've been dating. Mostly for prestige, I thought." Elliana picked at a hole in her jeans. It seemed to get bigger every time she bent her knee. Kaden laughed softly.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And what next?"

"What?"

"Progression. What next?" Kaden smirked as Elliana pondered the answer. "I'm just kidding, Elliana. Don't plan it. Just let Time have its fun." Elliana nodded, watching a firefly pass by. She had always let Time have its fun, as Kaden said. Time changed things on a whim. Where as Fate was fickle and ornery, Time was a jokester. Time made love crumble and people's hair grow gray. Time enjoyed seeing people suffer. In Elliana's life, Time was biding. But, Time had no meaning.

"Kaden, we always spoke of Fate. You said that it was your Fate and mine to end up with power. In dreams, I see myself coming to your father in his house with a message. I see us together with a-" Elliana stopped at the look of confusion on Kaden's face.

"You dream, still?"

"Sometimes."

"I see."

"What does it mean?"

"It depends on where it leads."

"Where will it lead?"

"I don't know." Kaden said, sighing. "I don't know. Time is a fiend."

Elliana sat in the library, staring at the fireplace. She was concentrating on bringing a vision on, and she had read that it helped to focus on something. Elliana had never tried this before. She had always had great pain from visions. Maybe it would ease the pain if the vision was caused by one's self.

A book dropping on the table snapped her out of her focus. Elliana looked up and blinked. Kaden was standing in front of her. She stood up and gave him a quizzical look. Kaden smiled good-naturedly and kissed her cheek.

"Kaden, what on earth?"

"Am I doing here? Visiting you. I heard there's a party tonight." Kaden spun her around in a motion that emphasized dance. She laughed softly and curtsied.

"I'm not going."

"Which is precisely why I'm here. You have to go- you're Head Girl." Kaden pointed to her badge. She frowned and shook her head. Elliana had no reason to go to the party. It was the last Saturday before Christmas, and it was a traditional celebration that was to start this year- tonight.

"I don't have to go." Elliana said stubbornly. "I will not go. Too many people."

"And you hate people."

"Yes."

"But you're going to go because I'm here, right?" Kaden smirked, hopping up on the table and sitting contently. Elliana shrugged. Her long, black curls fell out of a loose braid and made her look very worn-out.

"Are you going to make me?"

"Yes."

Instead of dressing up, Elliana opted to wear muggle jeans and a sweater. She left her hair in its frazzled braid and walked down the steps to the Common Room. A crowd had gathered around Kaden, wanting to know all about his life since he had left Hogwarts. Kaden smiled for the girls and shook hands with the guys. It was then, as she leaned against the wall and looked on, that Elliana realized how Kaden could control people. He was handsome, yes, but he also had a charisma that most lacked. He knew exactly what to do in every social situation.

"Elliana!" Kaden called, spotting her. Elliana felt strangely outcast as all of the eyes turned to her. She doubted if all but a handful of these people even knew her first name, let alone called her by it. Elliana could hear the whispers as Kaden walked over to her.

"Baggert's going with her?"

"She looks like she just fell out of bed."

"He's so sweet- why's he going with her?"

"It's a bet. It has to be a bet."

Elliana rolled her eyes as the people followed Kaden. They still buzzed with questions. She slipped her hand into his and tried not to glare at the other Slytherins. Kaden seemed to take the attention well, though, and gently told them that he was leaving for the party.

"Elliana!" Elliana turned around as she heard her name for a second time. Brooke ran towards her and smiled. "I thought I'd missed you. I wanted to walk down with you-" Brooke's eyes fell on Kaden. "But if you're busy I can walk with Alison or whatever. I thought you weren't going anyway. Something about wanting to study or hating people or hating people that studied- no, that wasn't it. Gosh, Elliana, you really do confuse me." Brooke smiled and shrugged, walking alongside Elliana out of the Common Room.

"Chocolate frogs?"

"Ice Mice. And twenty-six." Brooke answered. "I think I'm building up a tolerance to them. I don't get brain freeze nearly as much as I used to. Of course, I have to eat more than a dozen before it goes away. Elliana, do you think my hair looks like cheese? A Hufflepuff told me that the other day. I laughed and told her that I didn't even have yellow hair and she shrugged. My hair does not look like cheese."

"No, you have beautiful hair, Brooke." Elliana reassured her.

"Thanks. Not to dampen the mood or anything, but do you remember that Wynton Ashwinder guy? You know, he graduated last year. The really cute one that followed you around forever before you cursed his girlfriend or something. You know?" Brooke nudged Elliana.

"I know, Brooke."

"He got arrested!" Brooke spouted.

"Are you serious?"

"Dead serious."

"How?" Kaden asked. Brooke looked at him oddly for a moment and continued talking. Brooke had that knack- not being bothered by people running into her train of thought.

"He was working for the Ministry of Magic and was caught passing information to Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy's been accused of working for Voldemort and it's a huge mess. Anyway, Ashwinder's in Azkaban now." Brooke's expression changed as they neared the Great Hall. The six and seventh years filed through the doors. Elliana glanced at Kaden to see how he'd take this news. Elliana never went to Lucius without Kaden. She said very little to the wizard, and Kaden usually did most of the arranging. Kaden would know if this was a valuable loss. His eyes said nothing.

Kaden led her to a table in the corner and Brooke got the message not to follow. She bounced over to some Ravenclaws and started talking about the latest Quidditch game. Elliana sat next to Kaden and looked at him seriously.

"Elliana, the Ministry is catching onto the patterns. This makes the Dark Lord angry. Things are going to start happening. And fast." Kaden said gravely, his blue eyes looking fearful.

"What can we do about it?" Elliana asked. They were only two people. They could not calm the wrath of Voldemort, and they wouldn't dare turn people in. Elliana knew no way to help.

"We're not going to do anything about it. Elliana, the fight hasn't reached Bulgaria yet. It won't reach it for several years, if we're lucky. Move there with me. You can be safe." Kaden took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"That's running. We can't run."

"We can. Malfoy would know that we don't want to be caught- the Ministry there isn't aware of the activities to the level that our Ministry is. You can continue to do whatever work Malfoy gives you, and I can continue to put up the wards in the museums. My father lives there, and we can be safe." Elliana thought of what moving from her home would mean. Conner Darley was already dead. She'd have to leave Brooke and Kristin, and many others. She might not come back for many years. She might not ever come back.

"I have to finish school."

"So finish school." Kaden said.

"I have a life here."

"You can have a life there." Kaden sighed and looked around. "Just think about it, please. I don't want you sent to Azkaban. Let's enjoy the party. Do you want to dance?" Elliana nodded and stood up. They walked to the dance floor and began to dance, and Elliana pushed the idea of moving to the back of her mind. She couldn't think about it now. She loved her life here. Kaden was asking her to do something unthinkable. Voldemort was going to reign, and soon. Soon. It was only a matter of time. And Time was laughing.

The girl knelt under a willow, seeming to fight with herself. Her long, black hair shimmered in the autumn light. The hair was the burden, it seemed. So much hair, locking in the despair of absence. The girl pulled an obsidian dagger out of its sheath and held it up in the air. The blade caught the light, and for a moment the girl thought about plunging it deep inside her heart.

The blade came down quickly, slicing off the hair. The strands of polished ebony fell to the ground over a concrete slab. The wind rose up and blew the hair away like feathers in the breeze. The stone was clear once again.

The Greatest Gift 

Ignus Oriens

Elliana sat on the train, sighing as the castle faded in the distance. She knew that she should be happy- she was going home for Christmas. But it was different this time. Kristin wanted her home so that she wasn't in danger. What Kristin didn't realize was that Elliana had had two of the Unforgivable Curses put on her. What Kristin didn't realize was that Elliana was assisting the Dark Lord by way of Lucius Malfoy. What Kristin didn't realize was that Elliana had seen murders in her dreams and in her reality. It was all crossed into a definite destination: Elliana Stormborne was not the helpless little girl that Conner Darley had adopted.

Elliana stared out the window, pulling the vision of the purple-eyed girl back. Elliana had worked on this ability day and night for the last week- through classes, at dinner, before bed. And finally, the vision was coming. Only glimpses, though. Elliana couldn't see the detail. It was mostly fuzzy.

A girl with short, pixie-styled hair was crying on the steps. She seemed forlorn, and this was a new thing for her. She was the type to be happy. Not sad. A silver-haired boy sat next to her, eager to comfort her and eager to fill her with lies. The girl seemed to take them. The girl seemed to act on them. The girl…

Elliana sighed. She could not get more than glimpses. It angered her, but she didn't give up. Never did she give up. She could tell these visions were from the future. There was something different about them. She wanted visions from the past. Elliana wanted visions that pertained to her.

_The woman in the bed looked sickly, as if she had had all of the energy drained from her. The room took a yellow tint to it- the curtains were drawn, the furniture was dusty. The woman rolled over and clutched her stomach. Another woman entered the room. She knelt by the bed and handed the sick woman a small orb._

_"For the spell." The woman said to the sick one. _

_"Thank you." The sick one rasped, pulling her strength together and sitting up. She had been pretty once. Her now-tired auburn hair was tied back with a ribbon and her face was sallow. The kneeling woman helped her sit up fully and handed her a wand. The sick woman held the orb in her right hand and took the wand in her left._

"Maternus Amorus, Nunc et Semper." The sick woman said the words calmly, drawing all of her love into the spell. The orb glowed blue and then extinguished. The sick woman coughed and collapsed on the pillows. She needed rest. The days ahead would be long, and they would be her last.

Elliana opened her eyes and gasped. That had been her! The kneeling one. She knew the eyes. But who was the other woman? Why was she sick? It wasn't Brooke…Brooke didn't have auburn hair. It was someone else. Someone Elliana didn't know. She lurched forward as the train stopped- she must have been out for a long time. Elliana gathered her things and got off the train as quickly as possible. People let her through, recognizing her as the Head Girl.

Kristin was waiting outside of the station. Elliana saw her and waved, playing the part of a happy young girl again. She put her trunk in the car and held her breath on the ride home. She didn't want to think about things…She had wanted a vision, and she had gotten it. Elliana knew the house- it was the same as the house where the purple-eyed girl had found the letters. It was the home of a Baggert. But which one? Was Elliana to be responsible for someone's illness? She bit her lip and wanted very badly to speak to Kaden.

Elliana was mortified. Kristin and her husband were embarrassing her highly, and Elliana wanted to hide somewhere. Kaden had been invited to eat dinner with them on Christmas Eve, and had accepted. This annoyed Elliana- she knew that humiliation was to ensue. But she also wanted to talk to him about Bulgaria.

"Have you had many girlfriends, boy? I know how boys your age are." Kristin's husband inquired. Elliana took the opportunity to clear the table, listening from the kitchen. She and Kaden hadn't really talked about his past girlfriends. It didn't really matter.

"No, sir. Only a few." Kaden answered, smiling reassuringly.

"Why? Is there something wrong with you? Do you bathe?" Kristin asked.

"Of course I bathe, madam." Kaden answered politely.

"If you get her pregnant, you have to marry her." Elliana dropped a plate at this ultimatum and she could here Kristin coming through the kitchen doors. Elliana picked up the pieces quickly, and Kristin laughed softly.

"Can you get him to stop?" Elliana asked in a whisper. Kristin shrugged and helped her get the last shards of the plate. Kristin patted Elliana on the back.

"He's just being a father. My father put him through much worse- background checks and such. I'm sure Kaden knows he doesn't mean half of what he's threatened." Kristin smiled.

"Threatened?" Elliana asked.

"Oh yeah, just a few minor hexes."

"Oh my gosh…" Elliana said. She put her face in her hands and sighed. Kaden walked through the kitchen doors at that moment and joined her at the sink. He began to wash the dishes (by hand, surprisingly) and Elliana dried reluctantly. Kristin smiled to herself and left the room to scold her husband.

"I can't believe you even come over for dinner anymore. He's so obnoxious." Elliana said, putting the plates away. Kaden laughed and scrubbed at a particularly annoying bit of carrot in the salad bowl.

"It amuses me."

"You're weird."

"Even if the whole interrogation is cliché, the way he says things is funny to me. Don't you find it funny?" Kaden smirked as the dishtowel smacked him in the face. Elliana glared. "I find it funny."

"I'll go." Elliana said after they finished washing the dishes. Kaden looked up at her and nodded slowly. She sighed and walked over to the window. It was snowing outside. "Bad things are going to happen. You're going to need my help."

"Bad things? You're help? And I thought I was the cocky one." Kaden laughed and stood behind her at the window. "You sound like the people in Muggle comic books."

"Don't make fun of me, I'm serious." Elliana said, betraying herself with a small smile. Kaden put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around, kissing her nose.

"I have to make fun of you. It's my job."

"Really?"

"No. See, there's the mockery again."

"Kaden, do you want your Christmas present?" Elliana asked as they walked to the living room. Kaden shrugged and shook his head.

"It isn't Christmas."

"Fine." Elliana said, sitting on the couch. The fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, and the room felt warmer than the Common Room ever had. "What are we going to do?"

"Roast marshmallows?"

"That's so lame." Elliana said as he sat down. She could tell he was completely serious though, and that made her laugh. "What is it with boys and fluffy things?"

"Fine, no marshmallows. It's almost Christmas. We should do something cheerful." Kaden laughed as a nauseated expression crossed over Elliana's face.

"What would you have us do? Go caroling? Sledding?" Elliana rolled her eyes and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. She spread it over herself and tucked it under her chin. Kaden looked disheartened when she didn't offer to share, and Elliana smirked.

"You're so cruel."

"I learn from the best."

"I resent that."

"Kaden, I'm on the edge of boredom." Elliana sighed. She flicked at a tassel on the blanket. The hat of the embroidered snowman.

"I'm terribly sorry. I think you should share your blanket." Kaden tugged at the tassel and grinned. Elliana shook her head.

"That'd be too storybook."

"What?"

"You know, curled together in front of the fire on Christmas Eve. It's cliché and overdone, you know?" Elliana saw the glint of laughter in Kaden's eyes. He did know. And now came the teasing…

"You read too much." Kaden put on a high voice. "'_Honestly, that's _so_ storybook._' I suppose we can't live happily ever after for fear of making people vomit." Kaden smirked and pried the blanket from her fingers. Elliana rolled her eyes and was very generous in giving him an inch of the blanket. "So kind."

"Kaden, what are we going to do in Bulgaria? It seems so far away from everything." Elliana tucked her feet under the blanket and looked up at him. She wanted him to say something either cynical or reassuring. She didn't suppose anything else would do. Elliana wanted to be treated as most Slytherins treated her or treated as he treated her. This was not the time for him to be indecisive or yielding of power.

"We're going to live."

"An invisibility cloak?" Kaden asked in disbelief. Elliana nodded as a smile spread over his face. "Where on earth did you get this?" Kaden let the silvery-blue material run through his hands. It was a fine thing, the invisibility cloak. They were awfully rare as well.

"Brooke had it made."

"Brooke?"

"She caught a Demiguise last summer. Seems to think it's her Calling or some such thing. The Demiguise was enough for two cloaks- she kept the first and gave the other to me." Elliana smiled as Kaden put the cloak on, disappearing. In a moment he was back. He swooped down and kissed her on the cheek.

"My turn." He pulled a bag from his cloak and handed it to her. Elliana took it and peeked inside, almost dying. It was chocolate! Not only was it chocolate, but it was Honeydukes' chocolate. Elliana considered fainting right then.

"You are an angel." Elliana handed him a chocolate and ate one herself. Kaden put the chocolate in his mouth and smirked.

"There's more."

"Oh!" Elliana looked further in the bag and found a small envelope. She pulled it out and opened it. Inside were tickets, and for a moment Elliana thought they were tickets to another ballet. But, they were theatre tickets to see a live show in London on New Year's Eve. "Oh, this is so exciting." Elliana said, reading the tickets. It was a show at a real wizarding theatre! Elliana had heard those shows always had the best scenery and effects. She smiled at Kaden, who had his hands shoved in his pockets and was looking at her with a thoughtful expression. "Kaden, what is it?"

"You just look so _storybook._"

The lights were bright. That was the main difference between the London theatre and the Hogsmeade theatre. London seemed alive with excitement, and the boulevards were crowded with enthusiastic patrons. Young couples were everywhere, and little children played tag in between the crowds. There were beggars on every corner, but that didn't mar the liveliness. Elliana was swept away.

The first sign that the theatre was near was the music- dancers and musicians performed outside the theatre for the waiting crowd. Neon lights named the show- this was the Muggle side. If the Muggle theatre was this spectacular, Elliana couldn't begin to imagine what the wizarding side would be like. Kaden led her down an alley alongside the theatre and through a wall- much like the King's Cross platform. Elliana stepped out into an even more vivacious atmosphere. Fireworks went off unexpectedly every few minutes, and young wizards and witches rode toy brooms through the throng.

"And there." Kaden announced, turning her around. In front of her was the front of the wizarding theatre- The Spell. Little fairy lights moved around in letters announcing the play. Elliana watched with amusement.

_The Wronski Feint- Kent Burgmen, Rosella Marc, and Theodore James. _Elliana watched as the fairies changed into various advertisements. She turned to Kaden and smirked.

"Please don't tell me you've brought me to a play about Quidditch." She said, crossing her arms. Kaden shrugged and smiled. She'd have to wait and see. Elliana pursed her lips to contain her eagerness and followed Kaden as he handed a witch their tickets. Elliana stepped inside as the warmth of the theatre flooded her. On the walls of the lobby she could see dozens of posters sporting famous actors and actresses on the stage. Even some Muggle greats had a place here- Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sarah Brightman, and Dustin Hoffman. It was an odd assortment of people waving at her as she passed- or, in the case of the Muggles, staring at her intently.

The play, as it turned out, was nothing about Quidditch. Rather, the metaphorical side of the term "Wronski Feint" was used. A woman pretended to be in love with a man solely for the purpose of 'getting his galleons,' as the play called it. The woman took all of his money and then fled to China. The man was furious, and tracked her down. When she wouldn't give him back his money, he kept her prisoner until she would disclose where the money was hidden.

When the man was called back to England for a meeting, he left her in the care of his slave. The woman then pretended once again to fall in love. She convinced the slave to let her out at night, when no one else would see. One night, she escaped and left China. No one ever found the money.

"Wow." Elliana said when the curtain closed. The play had not been anything like she'd expected. Yes, the scenery was fantastic. The tower was most certainly a real tower, and everything was very real. There was no illusion on the wizarding stage. Kaden nodded and motioned for her to join the standing ovation. She did happily, and was annoyed when it was time to leave. The flood of people carried her out of the auditorium and into the lobby, where it slowly dispersed. The lights of London called to her, and the music of the dancers outside enchanted her.

The window would not close. Over the holidays, the latch on Elliana's bedroom window had broken. She had come back to Hogwarts to find her dorm almost freezing. Her dorm mates were not pleased. Brooke cast a Warming Spell on the room that seemed to do the trick. After a few days of waking up shivering at night, Elliana's roommates seemed happy enough.

March came with a flood of homework and duties. The seventh years were studying constantly for their N.E.W.T.s, and the information was constantly being drilled into them. Elliana found it hard to keep up sometimes, but she managed. Brooke helped her through Herbology and Alison helped her through Astronomy. Other than that, the subjects came easily to her. The workload was impossible, but the subjects were easily understood.

Elliana had set aside her homework for a night for something equally important- being Head Girl. She called a meeting with the Prefects and watched as the Head Boy, David Bly, stood up to start the meeting. The Prefects stopped talking, and all eyes turned toward him.

"As you all know, Graduation is fast approaching." There was a general buzz of excitement. "And, it's time for us to plan the party." Another buzz. "All Prefects have the option to plan the party, and we will also take suggestions from the school. Agreed?" A cheer, even from those not in seventh year. "What we have done in years past is rented out the Three Broomsticks. However, with the light of recent events," David spoke slowly, and all present caught his meeting. "We do not have that option. We are to stay on school grounds."

"How about the Quidditch pitch?" Someone in the back hollered. Natalie, who was another Slytherin Prefect, glared at the suggestion. Elliana shook her head, but wrote down the idea anyway.

"We'd ruin the grass." Natalie said indignantly.

"It's a game on broomsticks- you don't use the grass!" A Ravenclaw retorted. Elliana nodded as David held up his hand for silence.

"These are our options as of now: The Quidditch pitch, the Great Hall, the lake, or the fields by the greenhouses." As he waved his wand, the ideas appeared on the chalkboard behind him. Elliana wrote them down on her notes as well.

"Let's vote." She said to David. He nodded and began calling off the choices. One by one, the Prefects raised their hands. The finally tally was tied between the Quidditch pitch and the lake. The choices would be taken to the seventh years. Elliana dreaded the results. Neither of the choices could promote happiness from everyone, but more importantly- she didn't like either of them.

The seventh years were bouncing with excitement as Dumbledore got up in front of the Hall to speak. All of the tables had been pushed aside and chairs had been set up for the graduates and their parents behind them. Dumbledore stood at the podium and smiled happily. Elliana sat on the stage, along with David, Professor McGonagall, and the Minister of Magic.

"Seventh years, welcome. You have all come a very long way to reach the seats you sit in now. You have faced hardships, challenges, and N.E.W.T.s." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as a chuckle swept over the crowd. "It's been a long journey, but you've got a longer one ahead of you. There are things you've never dreamed of awaiting you in the world outside these walls. Never give up faith, even when the chips are down. Hope springs eternal, and eventually the flowers will come." Dumbledore nodded his head to acknowledge the applause and David stepped up to give his speech as Head Boy.

David's speech took on a different tone than Dumbledore's had. David spoke of memories and success, and never once mentioned anything about facing challenges. He was idealistic, Elliana knew. David spoke as if their lives were already full of happiness, joy, and wealth. David spoke as though they had survived the 'world' for twenty years already. There was clapping anyway.

Next, it was Elliana's turn. She watched as Brooke walked up to the stage. Brooke had always been the better speaker, and people could relate to Brooke. Elliana had handed her speech over to Brooke, and Brooke seemed thoroughly excited by the whole situation.

"Hello, everyone." Brooke began, smiling. "I'm here today for the same reason you are- to celebrate my years at Hogwarts. You can get all teary-eyed later, but tonight is for celebration of all that you've accomplished. Just remember seven years ago, walking through the platform at King's Cross. You were nervous because you were going into a new world. Now, you've adapted to the world. You've learned what teachers you don't make excuses for, what pranks you can get away with, and what places in Hogsmeade sell Bertie Botts the cheapest." The class laughed. "This place is getting boring. It's time for something new. You need to learn every nook and cranny of a new place now. You need to have a blast in a new world. Sure, you may be nervous. But as soon as that castle floats into sight, you'll be on your way. Once you get there, don't look back. But before you step onto the train, kiss your parents goodbye. Remember your years at Hogwarts." Brooke received a standing ovation for her speech. Elliana smiled broadly and joined the clapping. Dumbledore stood as Professor McGonagall joined him. He began to read the names.

"That was amazing!" Elliana told Brooke as they walked out to the lake. Elliana was none too happy about the final decision, but she promised herself she'd have a good time anyway. Brooke was still beaming from her speech and blushed.

"Thank you so much for letting me do that. It was so much fun. I was so scared I was going to say something wrong or insult the Gryffindors or something." Brooke smiled once more at Elliana before several more people came to congratulate her. Elliana watched her friend float into the crowd and found herself a place to sit. She sipped her punch quietly and silently reflected on the moment she had learned she was a witch.

_"We can't have you living on the streets." Conner said on one rainy morning. "I mean, it isn't safe for- what are you, ten?- a young girl such as yourself. You can live with my daughter. She's always wanted a daughter, but she and her husband haven't had much luck with that sort of thing. She'll be glad to take you in and you can have a proper home with a mother and a father- and oh dear, you have blue hair, my dear." Conner stopped and peered closely at Elliana's hair, which had caught a glint of fluorescent light when she had moved._

_"Anyway," Conner said, shaking his head. "You can start at Hogwarts in the spring. You are a witch, of course."_

"Why are you doing this?" Elliana asked suddenly, sitting up. Conner jumped. He put a hand over his heart as though settling it from a startle. "And what do you mean about me being a witch?"

Elliana stood up and walked to get some food from the snack table. She saw Kaden coming down the hill, even though he wasn't supposed to be at the seventh year party. She had to weave around a kissing couple by the edge of the lake and got dangerously close to the water. Just then, a boy lunged to catch a practice Quaffle and knocked into Elliana, sending her into the frigid water.

Plunging into a deeper section of the lake- rather deceiving from the edge- Elliana saw her life flash before her eyes. She felt as though a lightning bolt had struck and removed her from the world. Everything was so silent, but an overwhelming panic buzzed in her head. Elliana hit the bottom and tried to kick herself back up. Unfortunately, she had never learned to swim. Elliana heard the voices singing to her, louder and more vibrant than ever before. Elliana, child of the sea. Come to us, come to us.

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her up, up. Towards life itself. Pulling her back to her reality. She left the dreamland of the water and sucked life into her lungs. She felt herself land on the grass on her back, and slowly the world came once again into focus. The boy who had pushed her was shaking violently, and Kaden knelt beside her.

"Shh…" He coaxed as she began to speak. "You're safe." Elliana wasn't aware that her tears had come. Now that she was out of the water, a reality hit her. She could have drowned. She could have died. Her life could have been over in a single instant. Kaden helped her to her feet and walked her out of the crowd and up to the castle. He took a left down the corridor and guided her to the Hospital Wing.

"Oh dear!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed upon seeing Elliana. Elliana barely heard her, however. She felt a Drying Charm being performed, but the blurred vision from underwater was seeping into her mind. She was in a daze. Elliana was sleeping by the time Madam Pomfrey sent Kaden away.

"Let me in!" Elliana awoke to voices shouting. She sat up to see Kaden pushing past Madam Pomfrey. Kaden walked to the bed and looked down at her. Elliana tried to smile convincingly her thoughts that she was better, but Kaden didn't buy it. He seemed intent on making sure that the nurse had done everything properly.

"Mr. Baggert, you should leave. She needs her rest." The nurse protested.

"You didn't give her any Draught."

"She fell in the lake."

"She was in the lake for five minutes. She has every right to be dead!" Kaden growled. The nurse scuttled away and Elliana looked out the window. From the color of the sky, it was very early in the morning. Maybe two or three.

"Kaden?" Elliana coughed. "Was I really in the lake for five minutes?"

"Yes." Kaden said blatantly. He looked concerned. Elliana felt fragile, and knew that he was worried about her mental health. He knew that she was afraid of water. Elliana smiled for his sake, even though she felt more afraid than ever. "Elliana, how did you live? I was so worried, but Dumbledore wouldn't let me go in after you. He didn't do anything. He just stood there.

"No one came in after me? I don't know how I got back up, then." Elliana put her hand to her chin thoughtfully. "You risked chivalry on my part?" She laughed softly and took his hand. He smiled slightly, seeming comforted enough.

"Not chivalry. Chivalry is for Gryffindors. We call it 'valor' in Slytherin." Kaden chuckled. "It puzzles me how you survived underwater for five minutes, but I'm extremely glad for whatever it was. I'm awfully sorry you missed the party. It wasn't much fun, but you should have been completely dry and enjoying yourself." Elliana nodded sadly, but shrugged it off. A silence passed between them, and Elliana's mind drifted again. She thought about just how lucky she was. She wondered, though, who had pulled her out of the water. Elliana had been saved twice in her life by a miracle. Twice saved by a miracle, and twice faced with death.

The summer passed with a buzz of energy. Elliana and Kaden went to Bulgaria to find a home, but for the time-being they lived in a flat. Elliana spent all summer trying to find a job, and Kaden continued his work with the wards. He often Flooed back to England when Lucius Malfoy needed work done. However, the end of summer walked quietly into fall without much ado.

Fall brought money to Kaden- a raise. Elliana also found a job with a theatre. She danced for money, for the first time in her life. For the first time, her dancing mattered. But, Elliana was happy. On Halloween, Kaden Flooed home to spend the weekend with Elliana. She greeted him at the door and he looked exhausted. He showered while she cooked spaghetti.

"It smells good." Kaden said, startling Elliana. She smiled and threw a towel at him. He walked over and stood behind her, peeking into the pot. He smelled like roses, and Elliana had to laugh.

"You used my shampoo."

"What, doesn't the flower smell suit me?"

"Not really."

Kaden harrumphed and sat on a stool at the counter while she finished cooking. He picked up the Daily Prophet and started reading with amusement. Something about someone getting splinched while Apparating.

"Elliana, when are we getting married?" Elliana dropped her spoon, splattering sauce everywhere. She looked up at him with confusion. That had not been expected. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. "We are getting married, right?" Kaden asked as if she should have known the answer all along.

"Married?"

"Yes, married. You look shocked. Would you rather have the storybook proposal?" Kaden smirked, and Elliana laughed softly. She bit her lip.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"I've been asking you forever."

"Aren't you supposed to get on one knee or something?" Elliana asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow in amusement. She hadn't known he had been asking her forever. She couldn't even recall that he had asked her once. Kaden laughed. He folded up the newspaper and walked around the counter to her.

"So you would prefer the storybook proposal?" Kaden asked, chuckling.

"Try it and I'll see." Elliana smiled as he pulled her away from the kitchen and into the living room. He sat her down on the couch and got down on one knee. Elliana found this very entertaining.

"Miss Elliana Stormborne, you are the stars in my sky. You are the waves in my ocean. You make every day worth living…How am I doing so far?" Kaden asked, snapping out of his poetry gaze and becoming light-hearted once again.

"I'm all teary-eyed." Elliana laughed. She didn't want to ruin whatever moment Kaden was trying to create, so she folded her hands in her lap. Her hair fell in her face, but she smiled anyway and motioned for him to continue. Elliana thought that, quite possibly, this would be the best night of her entire life.

"You're just looking for flattery." Kaden pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes and continued. "Elliana, from the night I saw you dancing, I knew that you were the most beautiful person I'd ever meet. I could see your soul in that dance, and I liked your soul." Kaden grinned. "At the risk of sounding completely corny, I can't imagine life without you." Elliana smiled. Kaden pulled out a box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a gold band with sapphires all along the ring. The sapphires met at a diamond. Elliana took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger.

"I can imagine life without you, Kaden Baggert, but I think it'd be very dull."

The kiss that follows such a beautiful scene was interrupted by the fluttering of wings through the window. The rain had started and spilled in the window as the bird flew in. Kaden looked up first to see the black owl. Elliana held her breath, expecting bad news immediately. A history with these owls promoted such feelings. Kaden tore the parchment opened and his eyes widened. The letter was penned in emerald ink, and Elliana had seen the hand before. The letter was from Lucius Malfoy.

Lord Voldemort was dead.


	7. Sands of Time

Part Seven: Sands of Time

_I'm standing on the bridge  
I'm waiting in the dark  
I thought that you'd be here by now  
There's nothing but the rain  
No footsteps on the ground  
I'm listening but there's no sound_

"You've met Kristin." Elliana protested in a hushed whisper. Kaden nodded, but the anxiety didn't leave his eyes. The restaurant was calm and relaxing, but Kaden was about to fall out of his chair. Elliana could see it in her husband's eyes. "He's only human."

"You don't understand, Elliana. He doesn't know." Kaden smoothed back his hair for the fourteenth time and straightened out his clothes. Elliana knew that people got nervous about their parents' opinions of their significant others, but she had no idea one could have a heart attack from it.

"Doesn't….know?" Elliana raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't know about me? At all? Of course he does…that incident with the spell…he has to know something." Kaden shook his head and sighed. Elliana had always thought Kaden to be a calm and collected person.

"About the marriage. Of course he's aware that you exist. He doesn't know we live together. He doesn't know that we're married. And…he's got a bit of a temper." Kaden winced as he spotted his father, Conlon Baggert, walk into the restaurant. Elliana sat up straight and made it a point not to turn around and gawk. She was fairly dressed up, but not to the point of discomfort. She felt, however, that Kaden thought his father might disapprove of her. "Father!" Kaden said, standing and shaking his father's hand. Elliana stood up and nodded her head politely. "Father, this is Elliana."

"Pleasure, my lady." Conlon said, kissing the back of her hand. She smiled courteously and waited for him to sit. Elliana then nodded to Kaden and sat down again. That had gone well. "So, Elliana." Conlon began. "Are you an my son dating?" Elliana saw Kaden blanche.

"We've been dating for a while, sir." Elliana answered. Conlon nodded and peered at his son. Kaden smiled nervously. Elliana felt Conlon study her for a moment and she knew he was attempting to catch her in a lie. She was not lying, however.

"Are you keeping something from me, young lady?" Conlon asked. His hair was growing white, but he held himself with prestige and importance. Elliana envied that ability. She smiled.

"I have no skill in lying." Elliana said. She looked at Conlon meaningfully and his eyes went to her left hand. Indeed, he quickly spotted what was amiss. The young lady with his son had a wedding ring on her finger. Knowing that his son was not the sort to be second best- thus dating a married woman, Conlon concluded that indeed the wool had been placed over his eyes.

"I see." Conlon looked at Elliana and then at Kaden. "Well, we shall see how permanent this arrangement is to remain." Elliana had no doubt that Conlon could persuade his son to annul the marriage in an instant if it did not please the older man. Elliana knew that Kaden would be unhappy about it, but he was prepared for the situation. She had discussed this with him long ago.

"Of course, sir." Elliana smiled at Kaden and slipped her hand into his under the table. She nodded reassuringly. Kaden cleared his throat.

"How had work been, Father?" Kaden asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Work has been as work will always be." Conlon said distractedly. "Now that Voldemort has fallen in England, a new threat to our family is rising. A woman I went to school with, Selena Aithne, has become the matriarch of her clan. One of the few families in Europe still run that way, mind you. She's a very powerful witch- the most powerful I've ever known. Unfortunately, Selena is planning to curse me." Conlon said this with the ease that Elliana saw every day in Kaden- calm and casual. He even laughed over it.

"Can you use a counter-curse?" Kaden asked. Conlon shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. Selena's smart enough to invent her own curse and such. She's been at it for years, if I know her well enough. She knows magic, and she's going to use it. I won't see it coming. I have no upper hand. Whatever comes will come." Conlon took out a piece of parchment and a quill and scribbled something down.

"Can you guard against it?" Elliana asked. "I know you could put up an enchantment to keep yourself from being hit directly. Like a protective orb." Elliana watched as Conlon looked at her oddly. For a moment she feared that she had said something wrong. Then Conlon laughed.

"You have never met Selena, girl. She will take precautions against that. She'll have ways around any wards that I put up. She'll know how to break the shields. Selena is clever." Conlon laughed again. Kaden squeezed Elliana's hand. "The thought is a good one. Kaden told me once that you were a clever witch. You must learn to think two steps ahead of everyone else to truly be clever." Conlon leaned in and smirked. "You have the makings of a clever witch. But you aren't there yet." Elliana flushed and sat up.

Kaden glanced at Elliana and she nodded that she wasn't offended. Elliana kept her mouth shut, however, throughout the duration of the meal. Kaden kept the conversation focused on his father and not Elliana. Elliana was all the happier.

"Elliana," Conlon said nearing dessert. Elliana looked up and nodded. "I would like to know about this girl that my son wed- without my knowledge or consent. I have heard very little from you." Conlon looked at her as though he expected her to stammer out answers to his every question. Elliana felt uneasy. She hated talking about herself.

"There isn't much to tell, Mr. Baggert."

"Isn't there, though? Where did you come from, girl? Your parents?" Conlon laughed softly. "There is always much to tell to those who wish to know." Elliana bit her lip and tried to avoid lowering her eyes or fidgeting with the tablecloth.

"I'm from Norway, sir."

"And your parents?"

"I suspect they were from Norway as well."

"Don't get smart with me." Conlon snapped. He collected himself and forced a smile. Elliana had done this all of her life- smiled for other people's sakes. She knew his smile lacked sincerity.

"Excuse me." Elliana said softly. "I'd rather not discuss it." Conlon looked at her in surprise and then glanced at Kaden. Conlon seemed the sort not to receive rejection on a daily basis. Elliana silently prayed that it would not affect his opinion of her.

"Kaden, I'd like to speak to her alone for a moment." Conlon said shortly. He watched as Kaden nodded and stood up, walking outside. Elliana folded her hands in her lap and stared at her plate. Kaden had been right. His father was very much intimidating. "Listen to me, girl. I can see that you have a mind. I told you that earlier this evening. If you are to stay married to my son, you will show me respect. I have raised my son to obey me and honor me. You will do the same." Conlon looked at her with a hard gaze.

"I did not want to discuss my past." Elliana said icily.

"So you told me. I won't bring it up again. But if I do ask a question you disagree with, do not take such a tone with me. I do not appreciate one such as yourself talking back to me." Conlon lifted his head as Kaden returned. He stood up and placed his top hat back on his head and nodded curtly to the both of them. "It was nice to meet you, Elliana. I hope to speak with you both again soon."

As he left, Elliana found the one thing that she would dread. She had met many people in her life, and they had all been a challenge. Kaden had told her once not to threaten him, and she never had again. Conlon seemed to carry the same theory about sarcasm. Ironically, they had not told the man everything. They had a baby, now. A baby that they were keeping secret for fear it might be used against them. Elliana would dread seeing Conlon Baggert again.

"He hasn't written for ages. I didn't even think he could find us here. But, here's the letter. It's bad news, Elliana. It's bad news for both of us." Kaden handed her the envelope and Elliana took it carefully. She opened the letter and read carefully.

Baggert- 

_As I told you two years ago, the Dark Lord has been thrown from power. My family has fled from the inquiries of the Ministry. I'm sure that my flat has been searched several times over, and my father has been taken to Azkaban. All people associated with the Dark Lord will be put under inquiry and possibly sent to Azkaban. Your identity may be known. See to it that you are hidden._

_Lucius Malfoy_

Elliana set the letter aside and looked at Kaden. This was not looking good. Kaden was unsettled, and that was not a good sign. Elliana walked to the window of the flat and looked out to the street below. The lights were dimming on a velvet sky- Halloween. Elliana could see the bonfires on the hillside beyond the city. Celebrations of the old ways, still. She turned to Kaden and crossed her arms in thought.

"We are hidden, Kaden. That was the point of coming here. We are hidden." Elliana tugged at her sleeves and sighed. The winter would be a cold one. Even here. She did not mind cold- but it was said to be likely to be accompanied by snow and rain. Elliana minded the snow and rain. The world shone with a sublime radiance at this moment, iced in time. The problems had seemed so very distant until a moment ago. "What could we do to be safer?"

"Live with my father." Kaden spoke the words softly, very unwilling to voice the opinion at all. Elliana understood, but she was no more willing to accept the option as one they had to consider. There had to be other ways. "Don't look at me like that, Elliana. His house is Unplottable, large. He lives alone. There are enchantments…they won't find us."

"We have a home. We don't know how long the searching could last. I refuse to live with your father until we have to. And as of now, we are safe." Elliana crossed the room and put a hand on his arm. "As of now, we are invincible."

A scream shattered the night. It rose into the air as no earthly sound. Pure terror sounded that alarm, and it spread over what seemed the entire world. Elliana sat up in bed and found Kaden standing at the window. Outside, a purple light spread over the city. Elliana hurried to turn on a light and go to the window.

"Kaden, what happened?" Elliana kept her voice level, although she was very much afraid. Kaden turned towards her. Elliana's eyes widened. His hair was no longer dark brown. As he stepped out of the shadows, she could see the truth. His hair was a pure silver. Elliana gasped as she lifted her own hair- it was silver as well.

Then it occurred to her. The curse. Elliana knew that with powerful curses often came side-effects. She silently prayed that the curse was something fixable. She hurried to find an owl to send to Conlon. Kaden appeared in the living room as Elliana opened the window. She let the owl go and Kaden remained silent. The child- named after his father- cried in the other room.

"Did it take your voice?" Elliana quipped, her mind still foggy from sleep. Kaden stared at the window and shook his head. Elliana walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Why wouldn't he speak to her? Had she done something wrong? A vision swept over her, whispering in her ear.

The girl never wept. She sat by the lake, looking into the waters. Giving into the waters. The waters sang to her. She wanted to drown. She heard him coming. She blamed him. How could he have let this happen? The girl winced as he knelt next to her and touched her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You knew. You always knew. How could you? You promised!" The girl turned away from him and pulled her cloak around her tightly. The boy sighed. He was torn up inside, she could tell from that sigh.

"I love you." The boy said, stepping out on the proverbial limb. She had known, secretly. It was a threat as much as an endearment. She glared at the waters, mentally cursing him. Thinking of the ways that she would curse him.

_"That love is gone." She said flatly. "Only ice remains."_

Elliana had seen the memory before. It hadn't made sense then. It didn't seem to make sense now, but it was beginning to decode itself. The boy, whom looked like Kaden at first, was Conlon Baggert. But the girl…who was the girl? She seemed upset, now that Elliana reflected upon it. She seemed very upset. The girl was beautiful; unearthly as it might be. The girl also had an aura of power, even in the dream.

Power. Of course. Elliana couldn't be sure, but she would find out. She would definitely find out. The school hadn't seemed familiar, but Elliana had most certainly seen a school. And the girl's thoughts…dwelling on a curse. It made sense.

"I'm going to bed, Kaden." Elliana said, exhaustion apparent in her voice. She gave in to the comforts of sleep, very lucky that nightmares haunted her no longer. Elliana needed to find out more about the matriarch of the Aithne Clan, and to do that she needed rest.

_The dawn was radiant, piercing the hearts of all who looked upon it. The air was thick with pride and achievement- thick with the smell of revenge. One could tell that the world had changed in a single instant, even if only a small part of it. The world had changed, and power had been won._

_Now there was a new scent rising in the air. Hate and passion collided in a fireball, destined to strike out. Revenge upon revenge was coming, and it was going to be forceful. Centuries after, people would speak of the fury. Centuries after, people would stumble upon the text. There was text. All letters, journals, newspapers, and things of that sort were saved. Saved for when they would be needed most._

_Love is a double-edged sword. One side does the cutting and the other cuts the bearer. So much love brought tyranny to peace and hate to peace. Peace had dwelt in solitude and now it had competition. There was only one true force for the amethyst dawn. There was only one true power for the stars rising in the sapphire dusk. Love could stand only for so long before it was pushed aside by Desire. And Desire would conquer, letting all fall in its path._

"The silver hair suits you, Kaden." The greeting came as the door opened. Conlon stood, looking at menacing as ever. Elliana was not happy about the arrangement, but part of her agreed it was for the best. Kaden led her into the house and a maid showed them to their part of the house.

Elliana and Kaden had a bedroom, a living area, a bathroom, and a library to themselves. Kaden was right- the house was large. Elliana suddenly missed her home with Kristin. That house had been large. This house was larger. Elliana set her trunk and things down in their bedroom and walked down the stairs to see Conlon and Kaden discussing something animatedly.

"We cannot keep her _here_, Father. She'd be clawing at the walls to get out. It is one thing to-" Kaden spotted Elliana and motioned her to him. She was unsure of the topic of the conversation, and had no interest in pursuing it. However, in the six weeks since Halloween, Kaden had been very stressed indeed. He seemed harsh and cold towards her.

"It's revenge, Kaden. We will keep her here. Selena can come begging on her knees and I could care less. The girl must die. Slowly." Conlon looked to Elliana. "Selena Aithne has a daughter, a couple years older than yourself. You two will kidnap the girl and bring her here." Elliana nodded slowly, very accustomed to following instructions.

"We cannot keep her here. She-" Kaden stopped as his father's cane pounded the hardwood floor. Elliana winced. Of course, Conlon disliked people in disagreement with his ideas. She had discovered this. Conlon stood firm.

"She will stay here. It is the best place. Now, bring her here by tonight." Conlon swept past them and down the hall. For a moment, Elliana truly breathed in her surroundings. This was the house she had seen Rhiannon in. Elliana followed Conlon down the hall and found him in a pale yellow room. Elliana couldn't place it, but it too seemed familiar. Music echoed in the house, and it all sounded so surreal.

Elliana sat in the room and watched in silence as Faryn Kelsinger tested her boundaries. She couldn't leave the room unless the wards were dropped first. Faryn was confined to the room, which in essence was a cage. Although the room was large, it closed in on the prisoner.

"Please! Please let me out! I didn't do anything! I have to get to Robert!" Faryn started begging by midnight. Elliana shook her head sadly. As Faryn wept, her dazzling auburn hair fell in her face. Elliana realized now where she had seen Faryn before. In her vision.

"Robert?"

"He's my husband…he won't understand about curses and revenge and things. He won't understand!" Faryn sobbed, rocking helplessly on the floor. Elliana thought it was pathetic, but she said nothing. She didn't want to jar the girl. Elliana watched from her chair and tried to keep the girl from going mad. It would not do them any good if she broke too quickly. "And my baby…she's so young!"

"Why wouldn't your husband understand?" Elliana asked without emotion.

"He's a…he's a…_Muggle_. My mother never understood, and so I had to keep my distance. You aren't hurting her…you aren't! And my poor baby…what is she to do without a mother?" Faryn stood and walked to the dresser slowly. Elliana watched with silent amusement. Faryn stared into the mirror.

"Your child will live, and that should be all that matters to you. She'll have love. Love will protect her. And as for your mother, we'll see if it hurts her." Elliana was growing bored with the weeping. She knew that, being the woman of the house, she was expected to watch Faryn until this silly depression subsided. Faryn turned and looked at her pleadingly.

"Please…make sure she lives. My daughter. Make sure she lives." Faryn walked over to Elliana and knelt in front of her chair. Faryn took her captor's hands and smiled softly. "I don't hold my life to be worth much. But the life of my child. That is important to me. More than anything I've ever known. If I should be condemned to die for my mother's acts, let me know that my child will live." Faryn looked incredibly serious, and seemed to want this more than Elliana had wanted anything in her life.

Faryn, whom Elliana truly perceived to be the Daddy's Girl Princess-type, was lowering herself to begging for mercy. And not even mercy for herself. Mercy for an infant. Mercy for her daughter. Elliana had never seen the child, but wondered silently if she would do the same for the baby Kaden. She liked to think that she loved the child more than anyone else, but then Elliana would second-guess herself. Elliana had taught herself long ago that she couldn't _truly_ love anyone, right? Was maternal love a different sort of rule-breaking love?

"You were a Gryffindor, weren't you?" Elliana asked, rolling her eyes.

"Hufflepuff."

"Really?" Elliana asked, surprised.

"My mother was furious. She seemed proud enough when I was made Head Girl." Faryn seemed to reflect for a moment before it passed, unclouding the issue at hand. Elliana saw it pass, but she wanted to talk of simpler things.

"I was Head Girl as well."

"Ravenclaw?" Faryn asked.

"Slytherin."

"You strike me as the witty, book-worm type. I had lots of Ravenclaw friends. They all went on to create spells and enchantments for the Ministry or some such job. Slytherin, really?" Faryn smiled good-naturedly, and Elliana could see fierce determination in the girl's eyes. Determination to make the best of her foul circumstances. Elliana remembered the same trait in Brooke. _Brooke_. The thought that she had lost contact with all of her friends and family hurt.

"Yes."

"First Head Girl from Slytherin in years, I think. They must have been proud to have you." Faryn's eyes glazed over again with memories, and Elliana let her think in peace. Elliana knew what she was seeing. Not so much through any special powers, but more because she was seeing the same things herself. Her Hogwarts days. When things were simpler.

Elliana had not thought much of the world outside of Bulgaria, or what she had left behind. She had been caught up in the luminous beauty of it all- the dream of exploring a new world. She had not seen a play in ages, or done much of anything. Elliana still made time to dance every day. Dancing was something that she could not live without. Dance was a part of her existence. Dancing healed her soul when it was torn or eased her pain when times were hard. And times were often hard. Elliana pulled herself out of the sea of bitterness and forced herself to think rationally. Elliana cleared her throat and lowered her voice.

"There is a spell."

"They have Faryn, miss."

_"WHAT?" The woman's voice rang throughout the halls of her English home. She heard the baby crying upstairs. She ignored the child. The woman turned back to the house-elf that had brought the news. "They have Faryn? They?"_

_"The Baggerts, miss."_

_"You fool! Why didn't you stop them?" _

_"They have powerful magic, miss. Please, we did try." The elf pleaded. The woman was unyielding. She rounded on the creature and leaned over it furiously. Her newly-violet eyes gleamed with anger._

_"You let them take my only daughter because THEY HAVE MAGIC? You have magic too, you idiot! Get out of my sight!" The woman kicked the elf away, and turned to the window. The countryside below enchanted her, and she knew that the land of the Baggerts would be nothing like England. Also, she knew that the home would not be easy to find. She could very well spend the next few years searching for the home._

_It was worth it. They could kill her daughter anytime they liked, and that made the woman's heart ache. She had not lost all feeling, contrary to any belief of _that_ man. She still knew love. She loved her husband, and she loved her daughter. Nothing could replace either of them._

After Christmas passed, Elliana began work convincing Conlon to let Faryn use the library. He, of all people, understood that knowledge was endless. It would keep her mind off of other things- escape being a prime example. Conlon finally agreed, as long as Faryn was still guarded. After all, she had no wand.

During the day, when Elliana did not dance, she and Faryn would sit in the library, looking through the books. Elliana didn't help Faryn, in particular. It seemed to be something that Faryn had the drive to do on her own. Elliana told Faryn what she knew of the spell, but Faryn had to find the incantation on her own. That was the agreement. Elliana had her mind on other things.

The library was dusty, but the knowledge was there- waiting to be absorbed. The books lined bookshelves all along the one curved wall and the three straight ones. A long table sat in the middle, fully equipped with quills, parchment, and anything else that one could imagine needing in any library. Elliana found an armchair in the corner particularly comfortable while Faryn often sat at the table.

It amused Elliana to watch Faryn study. Faryn would read through the books without emotion, but when she found something worth finding she'd get very excited and often smile broadly. Elliana could imagine Faryn taking a particularly hard exam- being stumped and then jumping all around the classroom when she finally figured out the answer.

As for Elliana, she spent her time in the library finishing the leather-bound volume Brooke had given her so long ago. She had owled Brooke after Faryn had been captured, and Brooke had yet to write back. Elliana's mind wandered to bad thoughts- what if Brooke were dead? What if Brooke had been taken to Azkaban for something she'd never told Elliana about? Elliana's mind buzzed, but she forced herself through the plays. She needed to get lost in a book rather than in the realm of possibility.

"So what happens when I find it?" Faryn asked one day after finishing the search through another volume. Elliana looked up and tilted her head in a half-shrug. Faryn sighed. "It doesn't seem as though they'd allow me to work the magic."

"I'll get your wand. You'll have to work it flawlessly the very first time. Do you think you can do that?" Elliana closed the book she was reading from and leaned on it. Faryn thought for a moment and then nodded.

"I'd have to see the spell to know for sure, but I've always been good with charms. Things are getting confused, though. I think I'm getting sick." Faryn looked at her hands sadly. Elliana could see that being a prisoner was having its affect on the girl. It wasn't as bad as it had been in the vision- yet. Elliana guessed that Faryn would have a few more years before the madness took over. Would she last that long?

Kaden walked back and forth across the bedroom and Elliana sat on the bed watching. She wasn't quite sure what he was trying to accomplish with the pacing, but he seemed worried about something. Elliana had been snapped at several times for trying to discover the cause of this anxiety, and she didn't plan to give him any more reason to yell at her. Whatever this curse did, one of its side affects must have been shortness of temper. Kaden had always been virtually laid back, and it now seemed that he was uptight about everything. Conlon had pulled Elliana aside one night to talk to her about it. His general opinion was that Kaden was realizing there were responsibilities out there and learning to focus on what was important.

This was the power that would destroy him. This was the power that Kaden and Elliana had spent so much time discussing at Hogwarts. Elliana felt that he was gaining the power he had always desired. Conlon had thrown him into wizarding society, and Kaden and Elliana often attended dinners and balls and things. In fact, by the end of April, they were quite well known among many people in Eastern Europe. All the same, they had avoided the watchful eyes of the Aurors.

The fear of being discovered lurked on Kaden's mind. Elliana could tell. He had shown no remorse in his school days, but he was paying for it now. Kaden was edgy. Maybe that was the curse. Maybe that was Karma. Elliana didn't know. She wondered why the curse wasn't affecting her as heavily as it had Kaden. She saw change in Conlon as well. Conlon became flat out cruel to Faryn and Kaden. He rarely spoke to Elliana. Conlon spent his days locked in his study doing Merlin knows what. Elliana had never had a very friendly home, even at the Darleys'. Kristin had always had to work or some such thing, leaving Elliana many days to herself to contemplate the meaning of life.

Kaden was still beautiful. As much as the curse had changed his outlook on life or his attitude, it had not changed his looks drastically. The silver hair was regal, and Conlon had spoken truth many months ago. The silver hair _did_ suit him. Elliana could feel the eyes of the society women on Kaden when they walked into a room. Of course, these people had not known Kaden with anything other than pale, gleaming silver hair. No one had seen Elliana with her dark hair that shimmered blue. These were the new faces that they saw. Only a few people noted that their looks had changed at all. Even fewer could note that anything was _wrong_ at all.

Elliana sighed and picked up her book, giving up on figuring his reasoning out at all. Ironically, she found herself on the scene from _Julius Caesar _where Portia confronts Brutus about his attitude as of late. Elliana looked at her husband for a moment and found that she could very much relate to what Portia was feeling. Kaden didn't seem to notice and continued pacing for the better part of the night. Elliana turned out the light shortly after one in the morning, and Kaden looked at her oddly. Had she stirred someone from a trance, she would have expected much the same expression. Elliana didn't bother to ask for an explanation. Instead, she rolled over and fell victim to a dreamless sleep.

"You spoke with Kaden?" Elliana asked, surprised. Faryn lifted her head for a moment and nodded before returning to her studies. "What did he say?" Elliana had always prided herself on not letting her curiosity get the best of her. But lately, Kaden wouldn't speak to her. It was unnerving. Faryn set her book aside and looked at Elliana with sadness.

"You feel trapped, don't you?" Faryn asked softly. It seemed ironic that this girl, a prisoner in the house, would speak of being trapped. Elliana thought that this was incredulous, and wondered if the madness had begun to set in. Conlon had told them months ago that the girl would break sooner or later, most likely dying in the end. Elliana had never doubted it, but now she believed it more than ever.

"What did Kaden say?" Elliana asked flatly. Faryn laughed to herself and studied Elliana for a moment. Elliana wondered what Faryn saw. Someone to pity? Someone to hate?

"He said that the power has consumed him, or something along those lines. Something about Fate and that he should have trusted you so long ago. I think he's angry with himself for being snappish with you." Faryn said, running her fingers along the raised gold letters on the book in front of her. Elliana shook her head.

"He's not angry with himself. He doesn't even realize that he's doing it." Elliana stood up and walked along the bookshelves, absentmindedly dusting off the spines of the books. Kaden wouldn't continue to be hateful if he were aware. "Can you tell me anything about your mother's curse?" Faryn's eyes widened and she looked as though Elliana had asked her to reveal the secrets of the world. She rocked back and forth in silence.

"I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Tell you." Faryn looked at Elliana with the same pity as before. "I'm an Aithne, and we're to keep our secrets. We have to keep our secrets, or the clan will fall apart." Elliana nodded slowly, not quite understanding why the description of a single curse could destroy a family. "There are so many things." Faryn said softly. "There's a bond in our family that is built on secrecy and safety. Not one of those corny bonds you hear about in books. This is a _real _bond. This bond is ever-present. If I were to tell you something that my mother had told me in confidence, tension would grow immediately between my mother and myself. I wouldn't _know_ her anymore. She'd be present, but I wouldn't be able to understand her thinking…all that I had grown up to know would be lost. It's just the way it is."

"And the safety?"

"We can't take sides. We could never be Aurors or work for Voldemort. We aren't good at competition. Even gaining the drive to play in a Quidditch game is difficult. The motivation just isn't there." Faryn explained. "I don't suppose you'd understand. You're having difficulties understanding your own problems."

Elliana's eyes flashed gold with anger and she turned to face the girl. She didn't need to be reminded that she didn't understand the annoyance that her husband had gained, or didn't understand why honor was so important to Conlon. She didn't need to be reminded.

"How dare you speak to me about those things? You know nothing about me, truly. You know nothing!" Elliana slammed her hand down on the book in front of Faryn, quickly gaining her full attention.

"I know more than you think." Faryn whispered. "I know why your husband is ignoring you. I know why Baggert stays locked up. I know exactly what my mother is doing at the moment to remedy the situation. It annoys you because I _can't tell you._" Faryn had been more blatant in that moment than Elliana had ever seen her. Her eyes were passionate with the fact that she _did _know what her mother was doing. She knew, and Elliana could not deny that she was annoyed.

"It's time to go downstairs." Elliana said icily, opening the door. Faryn strode out victoriously and walked to her room. Elliana shut the door with more force than she might usually have, and she put the wards up quickly. Faryn could think whatever she liked. As far as the world was concerned, it did not bother Elliana.


	8. The Lily Maid

Part Eight: The Lily Maid

_Out flew the web and floated wide  
__The mirror cracked from side to side  
__'The curse has come upon me!' cried_  
_The Lady of Shalott_

Elliana felt the age more than anything. Ever since she and Kaden moved in with Conlon, her days seemed to pull her down faster and faster. Faryn had been prisoner almost seven years. Seven years. Elliana silently wondered if Selena even cared about her daughter missing. Elliana and Faryn had become fairly good friends, if one could call it that. Elliana spoke more to Faryn than to anyone, but that was forced from hours and hours of guarding her. Elliana personally thought that it was silly to continue to guard Faryn day after day. It seemed futile. Faryn wasn't going anywhere.

Except for mad. The days stretched on, and Elliana could see Faryn dying. Her speech became less clear, and she spent hours on end writing letters to her daughter. Elliana had learned that the girl- Rhiannon- was Faryn's daughter. Things began to make sense, and she could use her visions to her advantage for the first time she could remember. Elliana recalled the words of the spell Faryn had uttered in the vision, and after that the enchantment was found easily.

The spell, A Mother's Love, could be performed on any material thing. The charm would thus cause the item to act as a talisman. Only one time in history had this spell been performed successfully. Shortly after, the caster had died. Elliana reasoned that Faryn would drive herself to death anyway, so it didn't really matter. The talisman protected against death or injury by magical force- The Killing Curse.

Faryn learned the words easily, but Conlon seemed to sense something was going on. He stayed in the house and patrolled it for at least a month after Faryn was first ready to cast the spell. Elliana could wait, but Faryn could not.

"I feel Death." Faryn said one day while leaning against the dresser. She turned and looked in the mirror. "I see Death creeping up on me…hoping to catch me by surprise. But I feel it. I feel the sand slipping out of the hourglass…there is a curse here. The hate of the curse is consuming me…the curse is upon me and all I can do is watch. I don't understand these things." Faryn touched the mirror. It was an old mirror, and the wooden frame was carved ornately with designs from a thousand years ago. Elliana saw Faryn run her finger softly along the surface. A smooth crack formed when Faryn lifted her hand.

"Seven years bad luck." Elliana muttered, thinking of the silly Muggle books she had read. Faryn turned to her suddenly, looking forlorn. As much as Death had 'consumed' her, the sheer fact that she had broken a mirror seemed to make her distraught. Faryn's face then changed into a soft acceptance.

"I won't have seven years." She said gravely, looking at the mirror. Elliana looked at Faryn but said nothing. It was not her place to agree or disagree with Fate. Fate was a fickle one. "My daughter…we have to do the spell. How long can I wait? I want to know that my daughter is going to be all right. I want to be able to sleep in peace, when sleep comes." Faryn began to cry, and Elliana rolled her eyes. So much weeping as of late. Elliana walked over to Faryn and stood behind her.

"I'll get your wand tomorrow. Conlon has a meeting tomorrow afternoon, and I'm sure I can manage to get Kaden out of the house. Then, you can sleep or wake and it will make no difference. Your daughter will be safe." Elliana's mind started buzzing with excuses to get Kaden out of the house. She needed to get him to stay at work about two hours longer than usual. Faryn stood up and hugged Elliana, wiping away her tears. Elliana might have smiled, but she could only think of the days that lay ahead for Faryn. She had seen them in her dream.

"Thank you…thank you thank you…I will pray for you always. May your husband return to the way he was before…long before hate conquered his soul. I wish you happiness for all of your days." Faryn hugged Elliana again, and then started coughing violently. She had been doing that a lot these days, Elliana noticed. Faryn was getting sick. Her voice often sounded raspy, and all vitality had left her hair and skin. "And my letters…can you get them to Rhiannon? Please?"

Elliana nodded without words. She could only try, but for Faryn's sake she smiled. All of her life, masking her true doubts and fears. Smiling for others' to protect their feelings. Lying for others to protect their feelings. Even as Faryn fell into Death's hands, Elliana would lie to her. No one should have to leave the world with tasks undone.

"Kaden, I need you to restock our potion supplies." Elliana said over breakfast. "Could you go to the City after work today?" Elliana sat down next to Kaden and picked up the Daily Prophet. _Harry Potter starts school_. She pondered absentmindedly while waiting for Kaden's response. Harry Potter…oh yes. The downfall of Voldemort. How could she have forgotten? The Boy Who Lived. Personally, Elliana couldn't see any reason why Harry Potter was a hero when he hadn't even done anything. How had he survived the worst wizard in decades? It amused Elliana, but she could not come up with an answer. Elliana tossed the paper aside and sipped her tea.

"Yes. What do you need?" Kaden finished his toast and eggs and put his plate on the counter for the maid to wash. Elliana pulled a list of two dozen items out of her pocket and handed it to him. Kaden looked at the list and seemed to wonder how she had let this shopping list get so long. Elliana didn't care what he thought, though. She had more important things to tend to. She kissed his cheek before he Flooed to work and turned her back to the fireplace. Elliana collected herself and did some reading before the afternoon rolled around. She had a wand to steal.

Throughout the morning, Elliana straightened the upstairs, baked a cake, and finished a play. She tried to remember how she had kept herself busy when she lived at Kristin's, but the answer never really came to her. What had she done all those hours and hours? School work. House work. And she listened…to Brooke.

Four and a half hours later, Elliana found herself at the door to Conlon's study. She brought down the wards easily. Conlon wasn't original, and the wards were the same all around the important areas of the house. Elliana stepped inside the study and looked around. It was neat and orderly, as she might have expected. She pulled her wand out and whispered a Revealing Spell. Everything that was guarded by magic glowed a pale blue. She walked towards the bluest area and looked inside a glass case. Faryn's wand.

Elliana knew the spell he had used to guard the wand. Only his permission could open the case. Elliana had a way around that. Earlier that afternoon, she had asked him for the keys to the basement. While she was down in the basement, she slipped the key to the box off the ring. Doubtful he would notice it was gone until it was too late. Elliana slipped the key into the latch and unlocked it. She Summoned Faryn's wand out of the case and hurried out of the study.

"Faryn, wake up." Elliana said as she entered the room.She knelt by the bed. Faryn turned over and looked at Elliana sadly. Faryn was very sick, and it was apparent that she only had a few days left in her life. The room looked yellow, as it had in the vision a long time ago. Faryn clutched her stomach as though she wanted to throw up. Elliana pulled a small orb out of her pocket. It was glass and clear at the moment. Elliana knew that it would fill with magic when the spell was cast. "For the spell." Elliana said, handing Faryn the orb.

"Thank you." Faryn rasped, looking at the orb with amazement. She gathered her strength and sat up in the bed. Her face was sunken with sickness, more so than a few hours ago. Faryn's hair fell out of its loose ribbon and hung in her face, but she concentrated on sitting up. Elliana helped her sit up fully and handed her the wand. Faryn looked at the wand as she had the orb- silently drawing power out of the objects. Faryn held the orb in her right hand and the wand in her left.

"_Maternus Amorus, Nunc et Semper_." Faryn said the words calmly, but Elliana felt immense power behind the incantation. All of the love Faryn had ever given anyone was captured in the words. The orb glowed blue with light, and then the glow died away. The orb was now a dark, swirling purple. It reminded Elliana of the night sky. Faryn coughed and handed the orb to Elliana. She collapsed back on the pillows and fell asleep. Elliana tucked the orb in a box. She'd set the orb in its pendant that night.

The man ran. His footsteps pounded the empty street as he fled the shadows. He didn't understand why they were after him. He hadn't done anything. His wife had disappeared, but it hadn't been his fault. He couldn't get to his young daughter. He couldn't do anything. But they were after him anyway.

_Night in the city was dreary. He ran from the ghostly streets and into the grassy meadows. The sun had set, and the faint colors of twilight painted the horizon. The countryside spread out before him, but he couldn't run fast enough. The man saw a grove of trees ahead. If he could only reach them. The shadows were closing in…closer and closer. The man stumbled on a rock and rolled over._

_"Nooooo!" The man screamed. He couldn't understand their hushed whispers. They spoke words he had never heard before and the man's life passed before his eyes in a violent green flash. Robert Kelsinger's body was never found. _

Elliana sat at the bench in the basement, setting the orb. She heard Conlon return from his meeting an hour ago, and he hadn't appeared to have noticed anything. Elliana had put the wand back in its case and locked it after Faryn had finished the spell. She drew up the wards again and closed the door to the study. It seemed as though Elliana had pulled off the deception well enough.

Rhiannon had been in Elliana's visions lately, and the visions were occurring on a regular basis. Elliana had discovered several things about the girl. Rhiannon would discover she could control fire after she started school. Rhiannon had three cousins who could also control the elements. Elliana supposed that Rhiannon would be well protected, and even more so after receiving the necklace. Rhiannon would be sorted into Slytherin- Elliana had seen the crest on her robes in one vision- and she'd have quite a temper. Her cousins would help with that. The one thing that amazed Elliana was the discovery that Rhiannon would meet her son, Kaden.

Elliana couldn't pick out much more from the visions, but she had wrought a pendant for Rhiannon from what she knew. Fire rose around the orb and two words were engraved at the bottom. Faryn had given Elliana insight into the Aithne words- _Ignus Oriens._

Once the orb was set and blazed, Elliana put it back in its box. Next would come the hard part. How was she to explain this to Conlon? Would he be upset? Elliana supposed that he would be, but she didn't dwell on the matter. She put her things away and walked upstairs.

"Elliana." Conlon said, nodding as she met him in the hall. She handed him the box and an unspoken agreement passed between them. He wouldn't ask. Elliana knew that that wasn't Conlon's way. If he was truly curious, he would wait until she told him.

"For Selena Aithne when she comes. To give to her granddaughter." Elliana said, sweeping past Conlon and up to her room. Kaden was standing by the window, watching the sun set. Elliana said nothing. She changed out of her work robes and into clothes to go to dinner. They were going out with someone from Kaden's work. Elliana had met the people before, and they seemed nice enough. But, if Kaden didn't want to talk, Elliana wouldn't force him. By now, there was nothing to say.

The cake was horrid. Elliana struggled to eat it politely as Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Price discussed Quidditch with Kaden. Kaden wasn't eating the cake. Elliana set hers aside with the excuse that she had filled up on the delicious dinner. Again, she was lying for someone else's sake. Elliana tried to concentrate on the situation, but her mind was slipping.

_A girl with a pixie haircut looked through the abandoned dorm room. It was Christmas, but one would never know from the expression on her face. She was forlorn, and searching for something. The girl had spoken to the Mermaids…why couldn't they give her straight answers?_

"Where the light is eternal, and the music never dies. People are always happy there." _The mermaids' advice had been little help. The girl was going through her cousin's books when her eyes caught something worth while._

"Salazar Slytherin left the school, because his disagreements with the other Founders angered him. He could not achieve the power her hungered for in his lifetime, so he left all of his studies in the catacombs beneath Paris. This maze of passages would later become his tomb. Only one thing could open the tomb, and that was the Mermish Spearhead. The Spearhead was lost several years after Slytherin's death…" _The girl snapped the book shut and then looked at the newspaper article that had caused her to first go to the Mermaids._

ARTIFACT STOLEN: MUSEUM ON ALERT

Magnus Mynerfield

The British National Museum of Magical Artifacts is still on high alert after the disappearance of a rare Mermish artifact. The artifact disappeared sometime in late August, and You-Know-Who is said to be behind it. We confronted the museum coordinator, a stout, balding man with a limp.

"I do hope the Aurors find it soon." He told us before hobbling off to yell at a child for touching the Holy Grail. The museum has increased security by twenty percent. There are security trolls standing guard at every entrance, and wards have been put up over the more important things.

Will the museum ever get their artifact back? The world may never know.

_That had to be the answer, then. The girl thought this over for a moment and looked out the window of the dorm. The moon was rising, and it was late into the night. She wondered where her cousin was, and if had anything to do with the theft of the Mermish Spearhead. After all, that's what had to have been stolen. The girl just knew._

_The girl could not find anything else of worth in the room, so she sat on her cousin's bed and sighed. Where could her cousin be? Other than being kidnapped, there was only one place that her cousin might have gone. And she never would have dared…right? Her cousin always went on and on about wanting her ties to remain strong, and doing such a thing would severe what she had worked for. The girl fell asleep, and dreamt of her family._

Elliana realized that Mrs. Price was asking her a question and she raised her eyes. Kaden was glaring at her for embarrassing him, she was sure. Elliana smiled and shook the vision from her head.

"I'm sorry, my mind must have wandered." Elliana said softly, focusing on Mrs. Price. The woman was too thin for her own good- practically skin and not much else. The woman's face had far too much rouge, not enough intelligence, and a rather large freckle on the end of her nose.

"I asked if you and Kaden went to many games." Mrs. Price repeated. Elliana flushed for not hearing her the first time and shook her head. She began to explain about her dislike for the game in general.

"I will watch it if better teams are playing," Elliana said, seeing that she had offended the Prices. She recalled from the conversation earlier that their favorite team was the Appleby Arrows, so Elliana tried to make a recovery. "My favorite team to watch is the Arrows. Such good chasers." Elliana reminded herself that Natalie had been recruited to play for the Arrows, so it wasn't much of a lie.

"Yes, I agree completely. Our boys just love playing the Chaser position. I suppose they'll be quite the thing when they start school." Mrs. Price glowed with pride. "My boy Jasper, for example, wants to play for a team outside of school. He wants to start now. I've tried to tell him there's no use seeing as we'll be moving to Scotland within the year." Mrs. Price smiled stiffly. Elliana knew that Hugo Price had been moved to the Scottish branch of the museum and was due to start in November. Apparently Mrs. Price was not pleased about that.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Hugo." Kaden said, standing up and clasping the man's hand. He kissed Mrs. Price on the cheek politely and slipped his cloak over his shoulders. Elliana did the same as they said their farewells. As she and Kaden walked to the fireplace, he slipped his arm around her waist.

A tear slipped down Elliana's cheek as Faryn began to cough again. But still, Faryn insisted on speaking. She still had things to say. Faryn clasped Elliana's hands and looked at her pleadingly.

"Rhiannon…"

"Her necklace is done." Elliana assured her, kneeling by the bed. Faryn was having trouble forming words at all, and even sitting up caused her pain. She looked thirty years older than she had when Elliana met her. Faryn coughed again and started speaking.

"Time means nothing…life is what you make it." Faryn pulled her blankets tighter over her shoulders and looked at Elliana. Her eyes were empty, already in some distant place. Elliana heard the rain outside. She bit her lip. Faryn began to sing softly, but the tune wasn't recognizable. Elliana watched as the candle on her nightstand flickered. Faryn's singing lowered to a whisper and then into a cough. Half a moment later, her eyes closed. She slept peacefully, now and forever.

Elliana tucked the blankets over Faryn's shoulder and stood in the doorway for a moment. The woman looked serene, and Elliana could feel the love radiating as the spirit fled from the mortal world. Faryn loved the daughter that she had only known one month. Faryn loved that daughter enough to sacrifice her life- even if she was doomed to die anyway. Time was a jester, and Time was laughing.

Elliana walked from the room slowly and heard weeping coming from the living room. She stood in the doorway of the room to find a woman kneeling in front of Conlon Baggert. The woman did not appear young by any means, but she was beautiful. Her silvery blond hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She wore a cloak of purple, and as she opened her eyes, Elliana saw the violet to match.

Before she was noticed, Elliana heard the last bit of their conversation. It seemed that the woman had known a Conlon that Elliana had never met. The rain outside played background music to the woman's pleas.

"I loved you." The woman whispered.

"That love is gone. Only ice remains." Conlon said harshly. Elliana had heard the words before…in the vision. The woman…could the woman be Selena Aithne? Of course…she would have finally found them. Elliana sighed to herself. Too late, though.

"Take me instead! My life! Please…"

"I cannot kill you. The ancient magic remains!" Conlon pushed away from her and walked over to a drawer. From it, he pulled a box that Elliana instantly recognized. The necklace.

"Here. Take it. It's for your granddaughter. A lasting gift from her mother." Conlon told Selena. Selena opened the box and gasped. Her eyes grew furious.

"You think a necklace will replace a daughter?" She screamed and stood. Conlon did not wince, and he closed the gap between them and placed a hand on her cheek. He was taunting her, Elliana could tell. Catching Selena in her grief.

"No, but it will ensure you an heir by magical means."

"I want my daughter!" Selena fell to the floor and began to sob. The necklace lay forgotten to the side of the woman. Elliana walked into the room and caught Conlon's attention.

"Conlon," she said. "I've come." She stopped in front of Selena and looked at Conlon. An unspoken message passed between them, and Conlon nodded. That nod held all the finality Elliana had ever seen. Conlon knelt, and lifted Selena's chin. He frowned deeply.

"Get thee gone. It's over. She suffered no pain, no hardships, no taunting, and no loss of pride. There's your mercy." Conlon spat the last world and stood, leaving Selena to cry harder. Elliana noted that he used lies to protect the matriarch's feelings. He lied to Selena, even in her grief. As much as he claimed that he hated her, he lied so that she would not dwell on the pain that she had caused her daughter. "I loved you once, as well. Take the gift home to your granddaughter. Time will test her mother's will." Conlon said as he walked from the room. Elliana watched as Selena pulled herself to her feet and strode from the room and out the door. As the door slammed, Elliana listened to the rain.

Silence echoed through the house, and seemed as though it would last forever. Time was frozen, and the house was a wax museum. Dawns dawned and the suns set, forever in motion everywhere but that house. No commotion arose, and nothing ever remained the same. Everything was changing, but the house was a paradox. As people came and went, the house stayed the same. The house lived in a memory.

The Baggert family lived and moved on with their lives. The many years that Faryn had spent with them appeared a speck on the grander scale of things. Letters lay tattered and forgotten, and candle wax spotted the tabletops. The furniture gathered dust, but it never seemed to lose its grandeur. The house seemed more than a castle. It seemed to embody a whole realm of time- controlled solely by the magic within. Time had no meaning here.

The lady Fate had danced her dance, and sent the lives into helter-skelter. Although they seemed to recover, Fate was never satisfied. Fate would work in mischievous ways, aided by Time. Reality became a falsehood, and only dreams lived on. One could only believe in dreams. The rest was tainted. Dreams were as pure as the ethereal rain. Ghostly and enchanting, but pure. The rain and starlight remained untainted like the house. The house became the dream, fading from the eyes of the world and available only to those who searched for it.

The light of the purple dawn would stream in from the east, and it seemed as though, in the very next second, light was penetrating the western windows, signaling night. Nothing mattered, and nothing changed. An ancient magic held this place like a painting on a canvas. The house would stay the same, preserved as the magic would preserve those within. The ancient magic remained.

It would be seven years until anyone came to search for the house. Seven years the house laid waiting. Seven years with no one to guide it. Such is the life of a house- older than the trees to begin with. The house held memories in its walls, gently becoming a memory itself. The rooms faded into sepia, but the atmosphere had a certain luminescence to it. Light filled the house, even in its dreary, rainy state. The light held it a sanctuary, silently waiting. Waiting for one who would draw from it the secrets of the world.


	9. The Secrets of the World

Epilogue: The Secrets of the World

_It's a sin with no name  
__No remorse and no shame  
__Fire, fury, and flame  
__Because the Devil's to blame  
__And the angels proclaim-  
__It's a dangerous game._

Rhiannon had been in Bulgaria for a month now, searching out the place where her mother was murdered. After talking to over two dozen people, she got an address. Rhiannon had walked four miles to get here. The house wasn't plottable, had no Floo connection, and no cars came this way anymore. She got an eerie chill up her spine as she walked down the road. Everything seemed so silent here.

Rhiannon looked at the house in amazement. Not what she had expected from rich Conlon Baggert. The house was really a broken down shack, held up purely by magic. Weeds overtook what had once been a garden, and the gate was rotten away. Rhiannon pulled her cloak tighter around her as she stepped over the planks that had once been a fence. She silently wondered why Conlon had let his house go to ruin. Ever since her run-in with his grandson in Diagon Alley, Rhiannon knew that he had the answers to her questions.

The door made a creaking sound as she pushed it open, and an ethereal light shone through dusty windows. Rickety stairs sprawled up in front of her, and a hallway twisted around to the left. Sheets covered two or three pieces of furniture, and cardboard covered over a window. Rhiannon walked around, touching each thing. As she began to look around, she saw the home as it was meant to be seen. Something enchanted her there…the furniture looked new, the walls were painted. It looked as though it _did_ belong to rich Conlon Baggert.

Her mother had been held captive here. Faryn Aithne had been a hostage, never to return to her mother, the matriarch. Rhiannon's grandmother had begged and pleaded…but to no avail. A breeze shuffled across the back of Rhiannon's neck, and a vision came to her.

_The woman of forty-seven years wept. She was standing in the house of her most hated enemy, begging for mercy. Her twenty-nine year old daughter was getting weaker, and would die if she remained around this place much longer. The woman sacrificed pride and honor, and broke down._

_"Please! She did nothing! Leave her be!" She pleaded with him. _

_"She is part of you. You took part of me, I took part of you." The man said. He was not laughing or sneering, only speaking the truth._

_"She's my daughter!" the woman screamed._

_"She's not suffering." The man assured her._

_"I loved you." The woman whispered._

_"That love is gone. Only ice remains." The man burned her with her own words. _

_"Take me instead! My life! Please…"_

_"I cannot kill you. The ancient magic remains!" The man pushed her away from him. He walked over to a drawer and withdrew a box._

_"Here. Take it. It's for your granddaughter. A lasting gift from her mother." The man said. The woman looked confused. _

_"You think a necklace will replace a daughter?" She screamed. The man shook his head._

_"No, but it will ensure you an heir by magical means."_

_"I want my daughter!" The woman sobbed. A young woman with silver hair entered the room. _

_"Father," she said. "I've come." The young girl of about thirty looked in his eyes and between them passed an unspoken message. The man turned to the older woman and frowned._

"Get thee gone. It's over. She suffered no pain, no hardships, no taunting, and no loss of pride. There's your mercy." The man practically spat the last word as the older woman broke down completely and sobbed. "I loved you once, as well. Take the gift home to your granddaughter. Time will test her mother's will."

Rhiannon shivered, and walked to the desk from her vision. She pulled open a drawer, and lifted out a few papers and some boxes. Conlon had kept these things…but why? Rhiannon had only been nine when her mother died, and had no memory of her mother other than what she perceived to be true. She had seen only one picture, but that image was captured in her mind. Rhiannon's mother had been taken from her when Rhiannon was only a month old.

For Rhiannon Luna 

Rhiannon read the outside of a faded envelope, and opened the seal gently. She lifted out the parchment. Her mother's writing spread across the page. Even if she had not read the heading at the top, she would have known it was her mother's. It was a feeling she got.

_My darling daughter,_

_I wish you the best, my princess. I wish you all the happiness in life. I am beginning to realize I shall never go home. My darling, please love your grandmother. She's an old woman, and is lost to the love of the world. Obey her, and honor her wishes. My dear, I won't be able to see you grow up. I wanted very badly to see you get your letter to Hogwarts, and meet new people. I wish you the best in that._

_I love you, dear. I will always love you, no matter where I am. You are beautiful, and I wish I could see you grow into that beauty. It's getting cold, darling. So very cold. My dear, I love you. I cannot tell you enough. You're the only child I have, and I'd hate to lose you. I have a gift for you, darling. I made it long ago, and I only hope it shall get to you safely. My daughter, always remember who you are._

Rhiannon's hand went to her neck, and her necklace felt warm in her fingers. She wanted to cry so very badly, but the tears wouldn't come. She knew her grandmother hated Conlon Baggert, but she couldn't bring herself to hate him too. He had killed her mother, to be sure, but she felt no anger towards him. Rhiannon read through the letters, and as they went on, the writing became harder to read. There were tear stains on the papers, and the words became jumbled.

Rhiannon tucked the letters and trinkets into her bag, and closed the drawer. She ran her hands along everything again to capture the memory in her mind, and walked out of the house. Rhiannon continued down the road, knowing what she was looking for. She had never seen the place, but deep in her heart, she knew it was near.

A ways down the road, Rhiannon turned off the road and walked into the trees. She approached a clearing a few minutes later. In the center was a willow. Rhiannon knelt beneath it, and swept some leaves away. A stone was engraved.

The Greatest Gift 

_Ignus Oriens_

Rhiannon threw her bag down beside her, and stared at the ground. It made everything real. She used to think that there was a chance that her mother was an Auror, and feigned death or something. Rhiannon laughed softly. How stupid. Aithnes couldn't be Aurors. _Light and Dark mean nothing here._

Rhiannon tucked her knees under her chin and rocked back and forth. This was it. Closure…in a way. Her mother was dead. Never coming home. Faryn Aithne was dead. Rhiannon touched the willow gently, wondering if her mother liked heaven. It had to be better than life on earth.

Rhiannon reached into her bag and withdrew an obsidian dagger. Ironically, Kaden Baggert had given it to her. The boy was the only person she had even vaguely told of her journey. Rhiannon was sure her cousins were looking for her. Piper probably more than anyone. For a minute, she thought about plunging it deep into her heart. But she couldn't. Instead, she gripped it tight and brought it up.

The dagger sliced through the air, and came into smooth contact with her hair. Long, black locks fell to the ground all around her, and Rhiannon felt relief flood through her. For some unknown reason, Rhiannon laughed.

Rhiannon pulled out her book of charms, and read off an advanced level one. Her hair turned a bright aqua. Ironic, Rhiannon thought. She felt dizzy, but happy at the same time. Rhiannon didn't know why she was relieved after have cut off two and a half feet of her hair. But, she was.

_Never look back._

"Thank you, mother. This has been enlightening." Rhiannon whispered, putting her book and dagger into her bag. She stood up, and walked away from the grave. Behind her, the wind blew the black hair into a million different directions.

_There is only one power._

_The power of self._

FIN

NOTES:

Because the end of the novel has come and passed, this writer feels the need (want) to say a few things. Before the credits are given, a few loose ends need to be tied and snipped. This novel was originally going to have three parts, or rather points of view. Well, someone got a little verbose and good intentions got thrown in the wastebasket. Therefore, in future NaNoWriMo contests, two more novels will be written to attend to this problem.

The lyrics that open each chapter were an inspiration as the story formed. Credit where credit is due, and the lyrics are as follows:

"Under Your Spell" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer- 'Once More With Feeling')

"Here With Me" (Dido)

"Hero" (Mariah Carey)

"The World Is Not Enough" ('Die Another Day'- Garbage)

"Hunter" (Dido)

"Noitalever" (Danielle Hall)

"Landslide" (Dixie Chicks)

"I'm With You" (Avril Lavigne)

"The Lady of Shalott" (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

"A Most Dangerous Game" (Jekyll and Hyde)

Angels in the creation of this story are numerous. J'Aime Beck gave feedback on the first twenty pages or so and laughed in all of the right parts. Although that was initially thought to "jinx" the next three or four thousand words, the jinx wore off and J'Aime is blame-free. Geordie Cameron lent use some of his characters that were created with this author in an RPG. You may rest assured that nothing was stolen.

On the note of being stolen, Harry Potter was not. May it be recognized that Harry Potter names, locations, and associated trinkets are chained up in the dungeons under Warner Bros Inc, Bloomsbury Publishing, and any place where J. K. Rowling happens to be. Lastly, the creators of NaNoWriMo. The tears never came. Not once.

Danielle Hall

November 29, 2002

P.S. Natalie Allen is a goddess.


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